


Contemplation of a Prince

by bloodlynx



Series: The Contemplative Royals Series [1]
Category: Achievement Hunter, Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Character Death, Character Development, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, M/M, Royalty, Sad Ending, Sad with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Teenage Rebellion, playlist included, soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23764288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodlynx/pseuds/bloodlynx
Summary: Prince Michael, heir to the Pattillo throne, was set up in an arranged marriage just a month after his birth to the daughter of the 'Mad King'.But he also happens to fall in love with one of the workers at the Kingdom.
Relationships: Gavin Free/Michael Jones, Jack Pattillo/Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo/Original Character(s), Lindsay Tuggey Jones/Michael Jones, Ryan Haywood/Original Character(s)
Series: The Contemplative Royals Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728979
Comments: 16
Kudos: 26





	1. The Birth of a Prince

**Author's Note:**

  * For [achievehaunter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/achievehaunter/gifts).



> I'm honestly so proud of this!! I also just wanted to say that I couldn't do this without my friend Em, and you have her to thank for how fucking painful this story is gonna be.
> 
> Playlist I recommend for this story: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0l0OcRp1NcceqqnQrd0vP6

Emmaline gripped Jack’s hand with all her power, screaming so loud Jack was slightly convinced the entire kingdom of ‘Atteindre’ could hear her. Healers crowded around them, their eldest and most experienced with childbirth sat at the end of her bed, calmly rubbing her ankles as she pushed. Jack used his free hand to gently rub his wife’s head, softly playing with her dampened brown hair, a motion he had been doing since the night they had been married.

The process felt agonizingly long, not just for Emmaline, but for Jack as well. As a King, the pressure to create a strong, healthy heir to the throne was something he had been told repeatedly as he was growing up, and now the moment was finally here. King and Queen Pattillo were some of the kindest royals the world had ever seen, and they both mutually knew that although they wouldn’t love a daughter any less, they were still wishing for a son; a future King to inherit the Atteindre throne after Jack. The waiting was cut by one final deafening _ scream  _ from Queen Emmaline, followed by soft, faint cries coming from a healthy baby;

“Boy!” the lead healer exclaimed, cutting the cord and placing the newborn Prince into the Queens shaky arms. The tiny Prince rested calmly against her chest, and Jack couldn’t contain his tears. Pressing a gentle kiss to his wife’s pale forehead, he gently caressed the baby’s cheek with his pinky finger before feeling the comforting warmth of Emmaline’s hand on top of his. Faint cheers from some of the healers who couldn’t contain their joy any longer echoed upon seeing the pure sight of the King, Queen and their newborn Prince. 

“We must clean him up now” the lead healer calmly explained, awaiting a nod of permission from Emmaline before gently scooping the Prince into his arms, greeted by loud cries from the Prince as he was taken away, followed by the rest of the healers. Jack chuckled, gently whispering into Emmaline’s ear that “their son is just as in love with her as he is”. Emmaline mustered up a faint laugh, still struggling with an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion that Jack figured was common after childbirth.

“You must name him” Geoff, the hand of the King, finally spoke, emerging from his chair in the corner. Jack caught Emmaline’s eyes drifting towards the biggest painting in the room, a portrait of ‘The Great Mikhailo’, but he was known better to the people as  _ ‘Mogar’ _ , a skilled fighter that is said to have protected Atteindre from evil many years ago.

“What about Michael?” Jack asked, staring at the painting.

“It’s- it’s perfect” Emmaline replied, turning her head to smile at Jack.

It was when he finally looked his Queen in the eyes that Jack realized that she wasn’t just recovering from a simple childbirth, but that something was seriously wrong with Emmaline. He paused for a moment, studying her frail face; Emmaline’s usual soft, brown eyes were fluttering, as she seemingly struggled to stay awake. She was still pale, and her face had a sweaty shine to it, he gently caressed her chin with his pinky, the same way he had done to Michael just minutes before, and all he could feel was heat. 

“Go get the healer” was all Jack could say, not even looking away from his wife. Behind him he could hear Geoff run out of the room in pursuit of the healer, but turned to make sure he was actually going. Looking back towards Emmaline, he was immediately drawn to the bright pool of red staining the once crisp white bed sheet Emmaline was lain on, and Jack finally began to panic. 

He cupped Emmaline’s face now, gently lifting her head off the pillow so she could rest atop his hand.

“Em, Em baby I need you to stay with me” he whispered, an obvious desperation shown from his shaky voice.

“Jack-” she began to speak, but couldn’t finish a sentence.

“Shh” he said, stroking her cheek with his thumb now, “it’s okay, you’re going to be okay”.

Minutes that felt like hours,  _ days _ even, passed, Jack continuing to hold his fragile Queen and whispering in an attempt to keep her awake, but nobody came. He held his breath, expecting the door to swing open at any second, but it never did, and as time passed he could practically see the life draining from Emmaline.

“I’m gonna go find help-” Jack finally said, motioning to stand, but was stopped by Em’s hand reaching to weakly grip his arm.

“Please stay with me” she croaked, and Jack sunk back into his seat. 

Emmaline slowly moved her shaking hand from Jack’s arm to her own chest, grabbing the golden locket rested on her damp, white chest.

“I want our son to have this” she said, using all of the strength she could possibly muster to pull the necklace off of her and clenching it in a weak fist. 

“I want him to know who I am” she continued, causing Jack’s clenched face to finally fall.

“Em- Em please don’t talk like that, you are going to be okay, y-you  _ have to be okay! _ ” Jack practically yelled between sobs, barely able to look at his dying wife.

“Hey-” she whispered, lifting her hand up to cup his cheek now, the cool golden medal resting against his flushed cheeks.

“I love you” she whispered, her arm beginning to fall. He grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his own shaky hand. Gently, he kissed her soft lips, accidentally allowing a few tears to fall from his eyes onto her face. Pulling away, he studied her small movements; admiring the small curve of her lips into a smile before a simple, almost anticlimactic exhale, and with that breath, she was gone, the grip of her hand loosening from his.

Jack sat there for God knows how long, silently sobbing over Emmaline, holding her hand in his. After awhile, the door swung open, and the lead healer calmly walked in, cooing at the smiling Prince in his arms. Only when he looked up did he see what had happened, and paused as he stared at Emmaline’s lifeless body lain atop a practically red bed sheet. 

“Where the  _ fuck _ were you” Jack muttered, not even bothering to look behind him at the healer.

“I was just bathing the Prince y-your highness” the healer stuttered, the site providing an incredible shock. Slowly, he rested Michael into the bassinet they had set up earlier, and turned to the body of the Queen. Anyone who took one look at her would know she was dead, but still, the healer gently pressed two fingers against Emmaline’s neck.

“S-she is dead” was all he said, quickly pulling away as he saw the King finally look up at him. Tears stained his cheeks, but his eyes, although red and puffy, were empty. Before he could say anything, the door once again swung open, this time much more frantically, startling Jack enough to turn to look at the cause of this commotion.

Geoff came running into the room, rapidly muttering about how he had looked everywhere but couldn’t find a damn healer  _ anywhere _ before abruptly stopping when he finally noticed Emmaline. His face fell, and he slowly approached Jack, gently resting his hand on the King's slumped shoulder.

“Jack- I am so sorry, I looked everywhere, I couldn’t find him” Geoff said, staring directly at the healer, he began to defend himself, but was quickly cut off by Jack.

“Where were you?” the broken King asked, staring into the eyes of the obviously scared healer.

“I-I was in the bathroom attached to the Prince’s nursery cleaning him up, your highness, I promise- I didn’t realize there would be any complications, it was a standard birth-” the healer explained, cut off quickly by Jack muttering “until she died”.

Silence overtook the tense room, all three men staring at the lifeless Queen. Emmaline, once a strong, powerful and generous leader, now just a pale figure lying dead in her own blood.

“Guards!” Jack’s voice boomed, interrupting the silence. Quickly, four guards scurried into the room, bowing to the King, seemingly unphased by the sights. Jack turned his head towards two guards, took a long breath, and removed his hand from his wife’s body, the golden necklace dangling from his fingers.

“Please- please just take her out of here” Jack choked out, watching as they nodded and picked the Queen up like  _ dead weight _ . He followed the two with his eyes, watching as they carried her out of the room and shut the door behind them.

“You two” he continued, motioning his head towards the healer standing across from him.

“Take him to the prison, he is charged with negligence or some shit” was all he said, and before the healer could even start to protest he was swiftly being dragged away and out of the room, his pleas heard until the door was shut by one of the guards, leaving just Jack, Geoff and the sleeping Prince in the room. Jack waited a few moments in silence before slowly rising from his bedside seat, turning to Geoff.

“Make sure my son is taken care of” were the last words anybody would hear from the King for a  _ long _ time. Once he saw Geoff nod, Jack walked out of the room and down the hall, leaving Geoff alone with the baby.

**…**

The news of the birth of the Prince spread around Atteindre rapidly, and citizens were overjoyed to hear that they had a healthy heir to the throne. The announcement of Prince Michael was given by Geoff, wanting to not only give the grieving King some space, but also wanting to give the people some good news before he inevitably has to deliver the news that their beloved Queen had died bringing their heir into the world. Although some people were curious as to why the hand to the King was making the announcement rather than the King or Queen themself, suspicions were kept quiet and the people just enjoyed the good news.

Later into the evening, Geoff passed the little Prince onto one of the handmaids and went to speak with the King, hoping the King would be willing to deliver the announcement of Emmaline’s death to the people, but one look at the broken King quickly demolished any hope and Geoff realized that too would be something he would have to do on his own.

Jack was sitting at the edge of his bed, staring down at the golden locket that rested gently in his gigantic hand. Geoff wondered what he could possibly say to his friend to help him out, but deep down he knew his words would be unwelcomed, and Jack would rather grieve in silence. So, Geoff opted to just sit beside the King, gently resting his hand on the other man’s thigh, just to show Jack that he was there for him. Jack, deep in thought, barely noticed, but Geoff knew the gesture was something the King would appreciate.

Emmaline and Jack had had a  _ complicated _ relationship, to say the least. Emmaline’s parents raised her from the day she was born to be nothing more than a trophy wife, a pretty thing to sit beside her King and provide him with plenty of children to inherit their throne. Each passing year, however, they saw their dreams of a perfect child deplete. Emmaline was always more concerned for the people in her kingdom then she was for herself, going out of her way to share as much of her family's wealth as she could get her tiny hands on. Eventually, when it was time for her to be married off, her mother and father had both picked different suitors for her.

Her mother was much more accepting of the selfless, independent leader Em had become, which is why she was so passionate about the suitor she had met with. Jack Pattillo, just 17 when Emmaline’s mother met him for the first time, was a clear gentleman. He had come from a gorgeous, closely-bonded kingdom set on the ocean called Atteindre, and Emmaline’s mother could instantly see her daughter fitting in the atmosphere perfectly. Jack was the embodiment of every mother’s dream husband for her beloved daughter, and even without knowing much about Emmaline, spoke about her in such a high regard, and assured her that Emmaline would be an equal leader to him, just as his mother had been before she passed a year prior. 

Emmaline’s father, however, did not approve of Emmaline’s powerful, rebellious attitude. When choosing a potential suitor, he decided to go with somebody he thought would keep his daughter in line. Ryan Haywood was the polar opposite of Jack, he had an arrogant charm to him, and he and his father both spoke fondly of all of the despicable things he had already done as just the Prince of Lograr. Her father believed that Ryan was the exact kind of man she needed to prove what a Queen was meant to be, and since he did not expect any disagreement from his wife, practically promised his daughter to the Haywood’s.

Emmaline carefully snuck outside the room where she could hear her parents arguing about their pick for her husband, listening for as long as she saw fit before entering the room. Her father immediately grew angry at her blatant disrespect for the entire betrothement process, but she had grown into a woman who no longer feared her father’s wrath. She immediately shushed whatever misogynistic point he was about to try and make, and instead began to explain what  _ she _ wanted.

“I want to meet both men” she told them, visible anger present on her father's face.

“That is not how this works Emmaline!” he yelled, staring directly into her eyes. Emmaline did not back down, and instead just smiled cockily at him, fueling his anger more.

“Says who? There are two Princes that are interested in having me as their Queen, I want to choose the one that I think I am best suited for; I want the right husband and the right kingdom” she told him, never breaking her eye contact.

Emmaline was anything but intimidating, but she had other assets that helped her get her way. She was stubborn, but not necessarily in a bad way like her father, she knew what was best for her and her people, and she was never willing to back down from it. She was also confident, which made everything she said much more impactful. 

Emmaline watched as her mother grabbed her father’s hand, rubbing it gently in an attempt to calm him down. She wasn’t sure what exactly motivated him to give up as easily as he did, but eventually he just began to nod.

“I will arrange for you to spend a few days in both Atteindre and Lograr, and the decision will ultimately be yours” he finally said, and immediately she dropped the tough act she was putting on to hug him.

A few days later she arrived at Atteindre, and was immediately greeted by one of the sweetest men she had ever met. Jack was much taller than she was, and when she went to curtsey in front of him she finally realized how nervous she actually was to meet him. Lifting her head back up, she immediately blushed when looking at him. He was honestly just as nervous as she was, and began blushing as well.

“Shall we give her a tour?” another man that she would later know to be Jack’s hand, Geoff, asked, and Jack extended his arm which she graciously took.

The kingdom was gorgeous, situated right on the ocean like her mother had told her, but the real beauty rested in the community. As the two walked through the cobblestone streets of Atteindre, she was greeted with smiles from each passing citizen. When they walked past a flower stand, a little girl with the brightest blue eyes ran over to her, a red rose in her hand.

“For you, my lady” she said, reaching the flower out to Emmaline. Instead of taking it from her, she knelt down and allowed the small girl to gently place the flower into her hair. She looked back up at Jack, and Jack always told her that that was the moment he fell in love. 

She glanced towards Geoff, looking at the top of the velvet coin pouch peeking out of his pocket, and without having to explain herself Jack grabbed the pouch from Geoff, swiftly selecting a golden coin and placing it in the child’s hand. She smiled huge up at the Prince, but Emmaline was somehow smiling even bigger.

After the tour of the kingdom Jack led Emmaline to the guest room she would be staying in for the night, and rather than stare at the extravagant golden chandelier or the stunning views of the palace garden from the window, her eyes wandered to one of the paintings in the room. Jack noticed her interest, and approached her to get a better look at the painting.

“That’s a portrait of ‘The Great Mikhailo’” he told her, moving his vision from the painting to focus on her face. She was concentrated on the painting, her brows furrowed slightly as she tried to notice every last detail of the work she was looking at. If Jack hadn’t already known he would fall in love with her because of what happened in the village, he sure as hell knew now.

“But he was more commonly known by the people as ‘Mogar’” Jack continued his explanation, instantly overjoyed when he saw the corners of her lips turn into a small smile.

“He is said to have protected Atteindre from all evil” he told her, and finally she turned away from the painting to face him.

_ “It’s hard to believe there could ever be evil in a place this beautiful”. _

Everything that Emmaline had loved about Atteindre was instantly taken away as soon as she arrived at Lograr. Atteindre, like it’s Prince, was a humble, subtle beauty, relying on details and time to fully show it’s true, incredible self. Lograr, however, was almost  _ sickeningly _ perfect, all the area she could see was beautifully landscaped, and the people looked more like robots than actual citizens. The cocky grin on the Prince’s face matched the atmosphere of Lograr perfectly, and he instantly bowed to her, taking her hand and gently kissing it. She curtsied, and when she looked up to meet her suitor’s gaze, the soft blush she had felt with Jack was now something that felt almost like fear, as instead of staring at the Prince, she was looking over her shoulder at what she assumed was his hand, like Geoff had been to Jack.

The man she saw was nothing like Geoff, he was very tall, at least a foot taller than she was, with a frightening eyepatch rested over his left eye, his other eye focussed on her, and she noticed he was gripping the handle of his sword, not out of sudden fear, but out of actual habit.

“Let me show you around,” Ryan said, forcefully grabbing her wrist and pulling her against his side. Lograr almost seemed fake, every single person they passed on their way to the palace immediately bowed their head to them, not daring to lift their head until they were certain the Prince and his hand were gone.

“Is that- normal?” she finally got the courage to ask, finding herself staring at a child no older than the one who had given her the rose in Atteindre, bowing to them. What she instantly noticed was the way his legs were trembling, and she instantly regretted opening her mouth when Ryan came to an abrupt stop. 

“A few weeks ago, some cocky teen thought he was too good to bow to our Prince here” his hand began to explain. His voice was  _ incredibly _ deep, and she had to hold back a laugh because it almost seemed fake. All amusement was quickly taken away when Ryan finished the story.

“He finally bowed to me at the block” he told her, a disgusting smile spread across his face, quickly she pulled back her hand, stepping away from him.

“You had someone executed because they didn’t bow to you?” she asked, baffled at the clear abuse of power. In her lifetime she had only heard of two executions occurring at her kingdom, one for somebody who attempted to assassinate her father, and the other for actually succeeding in taking out five of the castle guards.

“Why wouldn’t he? It was a blatant sign of disrespect” his hand explained, taking notice at how she had pulled away from Ryan.

“Let’s continue the tour” the Prince said, once again forcefully grabbing Emmaline’s wrist. He certainly noticed how she tensed when he touched her, but didn’t seem to care at all.

When they finally arrived at the palace, she finally found something about Lograr that she really did like. The place was beautifully decorated, intricate paintings spread across the walls and beautiful murals covering the ceiling; she truly did love art. Ryan took notice to her enjoyment, but instead of explaining what some of the paintings were like Jack had done, he just pulled her down the long hallway, leading her down a staircase.

“I want to show you my favourite art” he told her, and for a moment, Emmaline felt drawn to him. The smile on his face was the most genuine one she had seen so far, and she was finally able to really see how attractive the Prince was.

That attraction quickly faded when they reached the bottom of the staircase, chills sent through her entire body as she stepped barefoot on the concrete floor. She looked around, and in that moment she realized the man she was with was a  _ madman _ .

“I call this  _ ‘The Hole’ _ ” he told her, dramatically waving his arm to show off dozens of prison cells, each occupied with a different person. She froze, her mind going to an entirely new place as he led her through the whole, pointing at different people held captive, finally, near the end of her  _ tour _ she snapped back to herself, and immediately made eye contact with one prisoner.

She was clearly pregnant, she sat huddled over her round belly, legs pressed against her chest and her chin resting atop her knees. She had dry tear stains on her cheeks, but her eyes widened the moment she saw Emmaline. Ryan took notice of her interest, and immediately dragged her out of  _ ‘The Hole’ _ and back up the staircase.

“That’s cruel!” she blurted out as they reached the top of the stairs, and Ryan just glared at her.

“They are all in there for deserving reasons” he told her, practically no emotion in his voice.

“What, they didn’t bow to you quickly enough?” Emmaline retaliated, and immediately regretted what she had said when she saw the Prince’s face go from blank to  _ mad _ . Quickly though, his anger faded, and a smirk replaced his previous scowl.

“You aren’t quiet, are you?” he said, a taunting tone to his voice. She opened her mouth to reply, but he quickly pressed his finger against her lips, shushing her.

“I like it, you aren’t someone to back down. You and I, we could be powerful rulers if you keep this attitude up” he told her, looking down at her.

“I’d like to be left alone in my room until supper” was how she chose to reply, aggressively pulling herself from his grasp and walking down that long hallway once again.

_ Ryan Haywood admired her for that. _

Despite many protests from Ryan and his family, Emmaline was on a boat the following morning to get her  _ far _ away from Lograr. Instead of returning home, however, she asked the captain to take her back to Atteindre, she wanted to be with Jack. That day, when she docked and saw Jack come running out to greet her, she knew so deeply that she wanted to be with him. The two became inseparable ever since.

**…**

The weeks of silent grief that followed after Emmaline’s death were the loneliest days of his life, not because he shut himself away from everybody, refusing to talk to anyone, and barely sleeping or eating, but because he was without his Queen.

Jack may have heard rumours that Ryan was absolutely infatuated with his Emmaline, and he had definitely heard that some people believed Ryan loved her much more than he ever did, but Jack losing Emmaline was proof enough that he had loved Emmaline more than anything else in the world. The five years of their marriage were pure bliss, and it showed in how the Kingdom was flourishing under their rule.

Jack knew that Emmaline was beloved by the Kingdom, and he could only imagine the pain that they must have felt when they heard she had passed while bringing the Prince into the world. It wasn’t that Jack didn’t care for the people, God it wasn’t that at all. Genuinely, he just didn’t know what he was going to do without her. She was always so much smarter than him when it came to creating plans for the Kingdom, and she was also just there to make decisions easier for him. He was officially ruling on his own, and the thought of being on the throne by himself absolutely fucking terrified him.

Geoff had tried to warn Jack that the people were beginning to grow angry with his disappearance, and that there was only so much he could manage before the people began to fight. But Jack simply couldn’t bring himself to do anything, all he could do was just stare at the golden locket and weep.

Around a month after Emmaline had passed, Jack was still isolating himself from everyone. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at his son, and the tiny Prince spent the first month of his life being cared for by his wet nurse and a few of the palace servants. 

It had been midday when Jack heard a knock on his door, he ignored it, per usual. He had gotten into a pretty simple routine, the only person who even bothered to try talking to him anymore was Geoff, everyone else just quickly entered the room, usually to do some cleaning or drop off food that they knew Jack likely wouldn’t touch, and then exited as quickly as they possibly could. The second knock on the door surprised Jack, as nobody had actually tried this hard to get his attention since the death of the Queen.

“Y-you highness, you have a visitor” Jack heard after the door slowly creaked open, the voice faint and shaky. Jack didn’t even bother to turn his head, he just muttered harshly under his breath and said he didn’t want any visitors. He assumed this would cause the man to close the door and leave him, but instead he heard the door swing open dramatically and someone entered the room.

“I think you should reconsider” he heard the voice cockily say, and finally turned his head to see who was here.

The first thing he noticed was the guard stood at the door, obviously terrified by the visitor. He understood his fear, and with a swift wave of his hand allowed the guard to leave them alone in the room.

“Ryan fucking Haywood” Jack muttered, watching the mans face stretch into an arrogant, but still charming grin.

Jack had heard the story of Emmaline’s visit to Lograr the day she came back to Atteindre, and he was appalled to hear about his clear lack of care for his people. He continued to hear stories about Ryan as the years passed, and the man eventually inherited the nickname “The Mad King” thanks to a variety of cruel actions.

One thing that had bothered Jack the most was how he never backed down from pursuing Emmaline, sending her letters trying to convince her to leave Jack for him. There was something about Emmaline that enraptured Ryan, and it killed him to know that he couldn’t have her for himself.

“What do you want, Ryan?” Jack finally asked, breaking the tense silence and moving from the end of the bed he had been sitting at to a table on the other side of the room. Ryan followed, sitting across from him and, without hesitation, reached out to take Emmaline’s necklace from his hand. 

_ ‘The fucking nerve of this guy’ _ Jack thought to himself, fists clenched as he tried to contain his anger that Ryan was sitting in the room with him and that Emmaline was dead and that everything was just so fucking  _ wrong _ .

“I was so sorry to hear about Emmaline’s passing” Ryan explained, trying to keep his voice as cool and carefree as possible. Jack saw right through him, he knew Ryan was struggling with this as well. He may be a royal douchebag, but there was no denying that he loved Emmaline with his entire cold heart. Jack almost found himself sympathizing with the man in front of him, which is why he decided to repeat himself.

_ “What do you want?” _

“ _Ah_ , straight to business I see, here I was thinking we could have a lovely chat about our fondest memories of your wife” Ryan began, his voice going from calm to cocky instantly.

“I have a deal for you” Ryan finally told him. Jack was  _ shocked _ to hear that. What could the Mad King possibly offer him that could come close to fixing any of his fucking problems. Before Jack could ask any questions, Ryan began to elaborate.

“As everyone has heard, you just brought a Prince into the world, and, it brings me great pleasure to tell you that I have just brought a Princess into the world. Our first borns, Jack! How exciting!”

Jack was still in shock over Ryan’s presence at the Kingdom, and hearing that Ryan had a kid genuinely made his jaw  _ drop _ . Once the initial shock wore off, Jack immediately thought to himself  _ ‘who would be stupid enough to make a child with the Mad fucking King’ _ . Jack had heard the story of Ryan’s first  _ (and only) _ engagement, occurring about a year after Jack and Emmaline’s wedding. The engagement ended horrifically a few weeks later, when his fiance was executed for apparently cheating on the King. However, they received a letter from Ryan a few days later that simply read  _ ‘she wasn’t you’ _ .

Yet, here he was, he finally found somebody stupid enough to give him a child.

“Congratulations” Jack finally said, it came out more surprised than he wanted it to, and he saw the man glare at him briefly before continuing.

“So, you must be wondering why exactly I came all this way to tell you this, as well as what it could possibly have to do with our earlier mentioned deal,” Jack nodded, eyes focussed on the golden locket Ryan had placed on the table between them.

“Well, the mother of my child is already concerned about the reputation my little Princess is going to have, being the product of the mad king and some tavern whore. That is where you and Prince… Michael, is it, come in” Ryan explained, and Jack immediately understood what Ryan wanted.

“I’m not arranging our children to be married” Jack grumbled, actually disgusted by the  _ nerve _ of Ryan.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumours that are being whispered through the streets of Atteindre. People are angry, Jack, they’re angry because you aren’t being their  _ King _ anymore” Ryan told him, Jack felt patronized by his mocking tone.

“But if you agree to have our children be married when they are both 18, I will provide you with everything you could possibly need to make the Kingdom better than it was before. Better guards, more men to help you make decisions now that Emmaline is gone. I have a variety of people being trained right now to be the best servants and guards you could possibly want. I also have money, money that you can give away to help settle the people.”

Everything Ryan was saying sounded appealing, and deep down he knew that even though Emmaline would have hated the idea of arranging a marriage for their son, ultimately she would want what would be best for Atteindre and it’s people. He rested his head in his hands and sighed loudly, before looking up at the Mad King, meeting his bright blue eyes that looked almost  _ hopeful _ for Jack’s reaction. 

_ “Okay, we have a deal.” _


	2. The Development of a Prince

The deal between Lograr and Atteindre actually brought a newfound sense of optimism into Jack’s crumbling world, and he decided it was finally time to try and adjust to his new world, a world with a child, but more importantly, a world without Em. As the weeks since her death continued to pass Jack slowly began to find it easier for him to look at his child.

God did Michael remind Jack of his Queen, the way he giggled over everything, his soft hair slowly coming in, each developing detail Jack noticed ended up making him love his son even more, because he was all that was left of Emmaline.

Well, besides that necklace she had given him, but Jack decided to keep it locked up safely in the room where Emmaline had died, which he and Geoff turned into a nice little memorial room for her. They had hired an artist to paint a portrait of Emmaline to hang next to the painting of the Great Mikhailo, and furnished the room with plush seats coloured soft yellow. The room had become a safe place for Jack to go and feel close to his love he had lost, a place where he could let his guard down and just grieve; and fuck did he need it.

Jack was someone who always held his emotions back until he was able to be alone, fearful of allowing anybody to see him weak, but slowly he grew comfortable with Geoff joining him in Emmaline’s room, the two sitting in a peaceful, heart wrenching silence. Jack quite honestly didn’t know what he would’ve done if he didn’t have Geoff there for him, he most likely would’ve allowed his sadness to overtake him until he was left to nothing, eventually succumbing to death in any hopes that it would bring him back to his precious Em.

Geoff was somehow able to become everything Jack needed, he was a friend, a shoulder to cry on, he gave him advice and let him just  _ talk _ about Emmaline and his memories and how much he missed her. Geoff was also exceptional with Michael, which is probably one of the things Jack admired the most about him.

Geoff loved the Prince like he was his own son, feeling the same amount of joy that Jack did on the day the kid took his first steps  _ (and immediately fell over, screaming) _ , as well as his first word  _ (dada, of course, in a sickeningly heartwarmingly cute way) _ . As years continued to pass Geoff and Jack were raising Michael as two parents, and, even if they didn’t realize it, they were slowly falling in love with each other through the process. 

Michael’s birthdays were such bittersweet days, a reminder of both how incredible the Prince was becoming, but also a reminder of how long it has been since Jack was able to be with his wife. It was Michael’s seventh birthday when Jack finally brought him into the room, sitting the tiny Prince on his lap and allowing him to stare at the paintings in the room for a long time. Michael was puzzled at first, wondering why his dad had taken him into a room instead of letting him play with some of his new toys that he had gotten.

Jack couldn’t help but cry, and felt relieved when he looked into the corner of the room and saw Geoff nodding reassuringly at him, holding his son close, he pointed to the painting of Mikhailo.

“That guy is so  _ cool! _ ” Michael finally exclaimed, eyes drawn to the long sword held in the man's hand. 

“That, buddy, is who you are named after. He was a very strong man, like I know you’re becoming, and he kept the kingdom safe from evil, which I know you will be amazing at when you’re my age” Jack told him, tilting his head forward so he could see the expression on the boy's face.

Michael studied the painting in awe, and  _ God _ did it remind Jack of Emmaline. The way he furrowed his bushy brows, allowing his eyes to fixate on different parts of the painting as they wandered. To little surprise from Jack and Geoff, the Prince was absolutely  _ fascinated _ by the sword. Geoff made a mental note to have a replica built for him once he was old enough to not kebab himself with it.

Finally, Jack watched as Michael’s gaze travelled to Emmaline. The boy smiled when he looked at her, eyes drawn to her smile.

“She’s so pretty,” Michael said in his usual childish tone, grinning from ear to ear. Jack sighed, pulling his son closer to his chest and chuckling when the boy squirmed against his pointy beard.

“She was beautiful,” Jack finally said, allowing himself to stare at the painting for a few minutes. 

Jack had imagined what he would tell his son the first time he ever brought up Emmaline, he was hesitant about how much detail he should go into and whether or not the boy could handle hearing anything too in depth. Michael was smart, but this entire situation was far too big for him. Still, all Jack could think of was Emmaline’s dying plea;

_ “I want him to know who I am.” _

She looked so  _ alive _ in the painting, her skin finally the proper colour and no exhaustion in her eyes, they were bright, almost as bright as they had been when she looked at him with the rose in her hair the day they met. She looked so happy, the painting enrapturing her classic grin, and the way her eyes crinkled when she was  _ truly _ happy. 

And  _ God did she look like Michael _ . The boy had her soft eyes, which fucking  _ melted _ Jack. He had inherited her dark curls as well, and Jack gently rested his chin atop his son’s head before finally beginning the speech seven years in the making.

“That, my lion, is your mother” Jack eventually said, holding his son in his arms, giving him a moment to react.

“My mother?” Michael finally asked, and Jack knew there was no way for him to go back, this was finally happening.

“Where is she?” Michael then asked, turning his head to look at Jack, then at Geoff, and then back to the painting, almost as if he expected her to just walk in the room and complete the family that had always felt like it had a missing piece.

“She isn’t with us anymore, buddy” Jack began to explain, watching as Michael’s face furrowed into a puzzled expression.

“See, sometimes people have shorter time than others, but she always watches over us. She can hear what you say to her- I know it” Jack continued, mentally cursing himself for getting too ahead of himself and making assumptions that had comforted him to believe, but Michael smiled. 

“So I can talk to her whenever I want?” he asked, and Jack smiled back down at him.

“Whenever you want, hun. She may not respond with words, but she’s here for you, she’s  _ always going to be here for you _ ” Jack told him, gently lifting him off of his lap and walking over to a little box. Michael watched as he opened the box, gently pulling out a golden  _ thing _ .

“This was her necklace, I think you are old enough to have it” he told his son, bending down to show him the necklace that had been tucked away all these years. Surprisingly, Michael shook his head. 

“I can’t take that!” the boy cried out, not moving his eyes away from the golden chain.

“Why not, hun? She wanted you to have it” Jack told him, confused by his reaction.

“ _ Because, dad,  _ when I get older I’m gonna protect the castle from evil like the guy in the painting! And I can’t risk losing mom’s necklace. I’d rather just be able to visit it here when I want to!”

Jack smiled, and then began to laugh. Michael looked up at him confused, he was being  _ serious _ after all.

“Of course you will buddy, we can definitely just leave it here. That way we can all come see it when we want to, okay?”

“Yes!” the tiny Prince said, wrapping his arms around Jack’s neck and letting his dad pick him up. 

“ _ Daaaaad” _ Michael whined as Jack kissed his cheek, grabbing his thick beard in his tiny hand. Jack laughed, setting his son back on the ground.

“Trust me, you don’t want to see me without it” he joked, causing Geoff to break his silence and burst into laughter.

“Oh my God Michael your dad is right, he is  _ scary  _ without that thing” Geoff said through his laughter, and the other two joined him.

**…**

It took Jack many years before he was finally comfortable with the idea of falling in love again. He knew Emmaline would want this for him, but still couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt every time he and Geoff shared a longer look than normal.

Realistically, Michael caught on to Jack and Geoff’s feelings for each other before they even did. He was around 11 when he began to notice little things, the way his dad would zone out when he would tell him about the lives of his action figures  _ (to stare at Geoff, obviously. Not because he was bored with Michael’s rants) _ . The way Geoff and Jack would find any excuse to touch each other, whether it be a simple hand on the other’s shoulder when they told a funny joke, or brushing past each other despite the spacious hallways.

It was also around age 11 that Michael started to wonder if he would ever have love. Young, of course, but he was raised around two men that were obviously infatuated with each other, and he had heard so many damn stories about his mom and dad’s  _ ‘amazing love story’ _ . 

Eventually, a few days after his 12th birthday, Michael saw it fit to ask his dad and Geoff about his thoughts. They all sat around the table after breakfast, Michael zoned out watching the staff work and pretending to not notice the two men staring at each other. Finally, he broke the silence with a simple question;

“When do I get to fall in love?”

Geoff choked on his coffee as soon as the question left Michael’s mouth, and the Prince blushed as he watched the man erupt into his signature annoyingly loud laugh. His dad, on the other hand, immediately tensed up. 

Michael knew his dad well, and was able to read all of his tells easily. He knew when Jack was happy, sad, angry, upset, conflicted, confused, he could even fucking tell when the guy was  _ hungry _ . Michael knew this face as worry, he studied his dad’s eyes, the way they widened as soon as he asked the question. He saw his jaw clench, and finally watched him exhale before looking his son in the eyes.

“Michael, you are too young for this conversation” he finally said, instantly causing Michael to grow irritated.

“Oh c’mon dad! That is your answer for  _ everything _ !” Michael practically yelled as he continued the sentence, fish clenching atop the table.

“I’m too young to learn to fight, too young to walk through the town without supervision, too young to know about my  _ fucking mother _ , and now too young to know about my own damn future!” he continued to rage.

“Language!” was all Jack said, secretly grateful for Michael’s cursing since it ended up buying him more time to think of his reply.

“Too young to swear too, huh?” Michael said, the anger in his voice now met with annoyance.

“What is this about, Michael?” Geoff finally asked, knowing Jack was still unsure of what to say.

“It’s about me being curious as to when I get love” Michael explained, a taunting tone in his voice that reminded Jack  _ way too much _ of Ryan.

_ Fuck! Ryan! _

They had been living in such a simply blissful state of life, the things Ryan had provided had surely helped to make everything a lot easier for Jack. Still, a part of him managed to forget the deal he had made with him all those years ago. Jack’s frustration had immediately transformed into guilt, and he sighed, resting his head into his hands for a minute to regain any sense of composure.

“Michael, I don’t tell you that you’re too young to be unfair, I tell you that because it’s true. In our world, once you grow up there’s no going back, and I just want you to enjoy yourself for a little while longer” Jack explained, trying desperately to hide his guilt from his son, but he knew Michael could tell something was up. 

“Dad, please, I want to know,  _ I’m ready to know” _ Michael pleaded, the entire situation actually made him more curious. Before, he had just wondered when he would be considered old enough to start having romance and all that shit, but now he could tell there was something specific that Jack wasn’t telling him, and  _ that bothered him _ .

“Jack, you don’t have to do this now-” Geoff began, wanting to at least  _ try _ to defuse the situation before one of them exploded.

“Oh piss off!” Michael yelled, startling Geoff and Jack.

“Michael!” Jack said, but Michael ignored him.

“Don’t get involved here, Geoff. I may be too young for a lot of things but apparently I’m old enough to always see you throwing yourself at my dad! It seems you may have forgotten something, you two aren’t together, and you sure as  _ shit _ aren’t my dad.”

Jack began to scold Michael, but Geoff cut him off with a sigh.

“You know what, you’re right” Geoff said, surprising Michael and  _ intriguing _ Jack.

“Geoff-” Jack began, but Geoff stood up from his seat.

“This is between the two of you, it doesn’t concern me” Geoff said, trying  _ and failing _ to hide how upset what Michael had said had made him.

Instantly, Michael felt guilty. He watched in silence as Geoff walked away, and also watched his dad's eyes follow him sadly out of the room, finally, he turned back to face his dad.

“I- I didn’t really mean that- I was just upset- oh my God I’m so sorry” Michael began to ramble, trying to push back the tears that were forming in his eyes. Rather than respond, Jack made the decision to answer his initial question.

“A little while after you were born, I met with the King of a place called Lograr, he had just had a daughter, a few weeks younger than you, and he was interested in making a business deal” Jack explained, puzzling Michael.

“What does that have to do with any of this?” asked the Prince, intrigued as to why his dad was telling him something that seemed this  _ serious _ .

“In return for the many good things he gave to our Kingdom, he wanted to make an agreement. When you and his daughter are both eighteen, you are to be…” Jack hesitated, worried at how his son would react to this news.

“To be?” Michael asked, probably the most curious he had ever been in his entire life.

“Married. You and the Princess of Lograr are set to be married in six years.”

Michael sat silently, just staring at his dad. Jack looked so guilty as soon as he said it, which confused, and also upset Michael. Finally, he stood from his chair, and Jack thought he was going to walk away, not able to forgive him for what he had found out. Instead, Michael walked around to the back of Jack’s chair, wrapping his arms around him and nuzzling his curls into his dad’s neck. Jack sighed in relief, relaxing against his boy’s touch.

“What’s her name?” Michael finally asked, curious and  _ excited _ to learn more about his future bride. 

“Lindsay, her name is Lindsay Haywood.”

“Haywood?” Michael asked, connecting the last name to the stories he had heard about Ryan Haywood, nicknamed the ‘Mad King’.

“Yeah, Lindsay Haywood,” Jack sighed, relieved to finally have told Michael such a big secret, but worried for his reaction.

“Oh” was all Michael said, and Jack gently rubbed his arm, they stood like this for a few minutes, unwinding and enjoying each other’s company.

“Hey dad?” MIchael finally broke the silence, pulling a way a bit so he could look at Jack. He smiled at his dad, grabbing one of his hands and holding it. He sighed loudly, but knew what he was going to say was the right thing.

_ “Mom would want you to be happy.” _

Jack’s eyes widened, and Michael just smiled at him.  _ Fuck, _ Jack couldn’t help but start to cry. He pulled his son close, gently letting his tears fall into the boy’s curls. They may have been vague, but they were all Jack needed here. After a lengthy hug, Michael pulled away, gently kissing his dad on the cheek.

“I love you so much, my lion” Jack told him, staring at the _ not so little _ Prince.

“I love you too, dad. Tell Geoff I’m sorry for being a dick.” With that, Michael was walking away, probably wanting to lock himself away for awhile so he could think about everything he had learnt today, but that was okay; Jack had someone else he needed to speak to.

The door to Geoff’s room was shut, and Jack gently knocked, waiting to hear Geoff’s soft “come in'' before entering.

The man was sprawled across his bed, deep in thought, slowly, Jack inched towards the bed. He took a deep breath before forcing himself to lay down beside Geoff, their faces just inches apart. Jack thought for a minute, unsure of what exactly to say, before Geoff broke the silence. 

“He’s right, you know it, I know it. We just dance around it, but we both know the little shit is right” Geoff said, something that almost resembled fear in his eyes. The nerves quickly faded when he saw Jack’s face melt into the cheesiest, happiest grin he had seen in awhile, causing him to blush. 

“I’m in if you’re in” Jack told him, barely able to get the sentence out before Geoff was pressing his lips against his, pulling the King against him. 

Michael’s words echoed in Jack’s head as he kissed the man he finally allowed himself to love;

_ ‘Emmaline would want this for me’ _ .

**…**

Even though they waited a little while before telling the Prince about their new relationship, Michael could tell that the dynamic between his dad and Geoff had changed drastically after what he said. Michael was overjoyed to see how fucking  _ happy _ his dad finally was, and found himself wondering how happy he had been before his mother had died.

Although Jack never told him, Michael had figured out how Emmaline died, and, of course, he couldn’t help but blame himself for her death. There was  _ literally _ nothing he could’ve done, and deep down he knew that it wasn’t his fault, but he still felt guilt in his stomach whenever he walked into her room.

About a year after Jack and Geoff finally admitted their feelings for each other, they decided it was time to come clean and admit their relationship. Jack had never been someone to hide things, especially since this was the happiest he had been since Emmaline had died, but he was still fearful of how people would react. 

The people of Atteindre were in full support of the King and his new boyfriend, but not all the other Kingdom’s were as accepting as Atteindre. Fortunately, thanks to the support from Ryan and Lograr, they were able to defend themselves from any brutal retaliations sent, and things began to die down after some time had passed. 

As the years passed and it got closer and closer to the Prince’s 18th birthday, Jack’s anxiety grew. He didn’t trust Ryan at all, and although he had heard nothing but lovely things about his daughter, he knew how influencing the Mad King could be if he got into your head. 

Michael, on the other hand, was insanely excited to meet Lindsay. For years he had pictured Lindsay in his head, wondering about every little detail about her, and for the days leading up to his 18th birthday, he was seemingly more excited for Lindsay to finally visit him than he was about the monumental day where he officially became an adult. 

Michael slept in late on his birthday, and of course, his dad let him. When he finally rolled his  _ adult _ ass out of bed, he was immediately greeted with a delicately wrapped box sitting at the foot of his bed. 

The box was long and skinny, and Michael instantly knew that although it was assigned to him from his dad, Geoff had wrapped it. The three had spent enough Christmas’ together for Michael to know that Jack was absolutely  _ shit _ at wrapping presents. Quickly, Michael tore off the paper, throwing it to the floor. He gently lifted the top off of the box, revealing a beautifully  _ familiar _ sword.

“You little shit, you were supposed to wait to open that with me” Jack said as he cracked the door open to see his son holding his sword.

“Holy shit, dad! It’s an exact replica of the Great Mikhailo’s!” Michael was overjoyed, flimsily swinging his sword around as Jack laughed.

“Don’t make me regret giving you something so pointy” Jack said, sitting beside his son on his bed. Softly, Michael nuzzled against his dad.

He may be an adult now, but Michael would forever love being held by his dad. He tried to act cool, specifically when he was around Geoff, but when the two were alone he instantly became a kid again

“I love you so much, my lion” Jack whispered, holding his boy close.

_ “I love you too, dad”. _

**...**

“18th birthday’s” Geoff was telling Michael as he lead him to his room after a day of festivities to celebrate the Prince finally becoming an adult.

“Are super fucking special. On your dad’s 18th birthday, he was officially given a hand, and of course, that’s when we met” Geoff explained, a cheeky smirk on his face. Michael began to catch on to what exactly Geoff wanted to show him.

The first thing Michael noticed about the man who stood in his room was that he did not look tough at all.  _ ‘I could easily take this guy in a fight’ _ Michael instantly thought, looking at the lanky guy. Sure, fighting wasn’t the only skill a hand needed to have for their Prince or King, but it was certainly something Michael thought was important. Michael had seen first hand how fucking  _ badass  _ Geoff was, and as a kid he always pictured such a cool sidekick for him, but the man in his room looked to be about 100 pounds when wet.

When Michael and Geoff entered the room the man immediately bowed, greeting them with a simple “hello my Prince, hello Geoff, my name is Gavin.”

Not only was the guy not intimidating at all, he also had a British accent. Not one of the cool ones that some of the Knights he had met as a kid, but very posh and almost stuck up.

“I’ll uh- leave you two to get to know each other” Geoff said, picking up on Michael’s pretty obvious disappointment. Geoff knew Gavin since he was a kid, raised at the castle to serve the Prince to the best of his ability, and he knew Gavin was way more than what meets the eye. However, he knew Michael wouldn’t listen to him, so he opted to allow Michael to see it for himself.

The two men just looked at each other for a few minutes. Gavin had a cold expression, and Michael knew from stories Jack had told him about his early years that they were typically trained to be emotionless, and it took years for Geoff to open up to him.

“So like, are you just gonna watch me sleep or some shit?” Michael finally asked, breaking the silence.

“My room is down the hall, when you are ready to go to sleep I will head to my room” Gavin explained, absolutely no emotion in his voice.

“Got it, so like…. What do you do?” Michael asked, wanting to see if the guy would claim to be some brilliant fighter or something.

“Well, my Prince, I am trained to fight, as well as defend you, I am trained at negotiating, as well as very knowledgeable about Kingdom politics, so I can offer advice-” Gavin began to explain, sounding almost  _ rehearsed _ as he listed his skills.

“You sure as shit don’t look like a fighter” Michael told him, a teasing tone in his voice. Surprisingly, he saw the man smirk.

“Try me” he taunted, and instantly Michael was excited. It would sure as shit be a confidence boost to take out someone trained by the castle.

Quickly, Michael grabbed his new sword, charging at Gavin like he had been taught. He went to  _ mock _ swing  _ (of course) _ at Gavin, prepared to stop the blade right at his neck, causing just a startled, reactionary flinch, but swiftly, Gavin ducked under the sword, using just one arm to pull Michael’s legs out from under him, resulting with the Prince landing loudly on his ass. Wasting no time, Gavin grabbed the sword that Michael had dropped, and pressed the blade against the stunned Prince’s throat.

“Holy shit! You absolutely need to teach me how to do that” Michael said, his embarrassment immediately overtaken by how impressed he was with Gavin.

“Eventually, my Prince” Gavin said, handing Michael his sword and using his other hand to pull him up.

Michael instantly hated how _formal_ being called ‘my Prince’ was, but figured it was probably mandatory for the palace staff to address them ‘properly’.

“The Princess comes tomorrow” Gavin said, breaking Michael from his mini thinking session. Instantly, Michael started to blush just thinking about how he would be meeting Lindsay so soon. Well, he would also be meeting the Mad King, but he pretended that he wasn’t absolutely terrified about that. He did feel a tad bit more relieved about Ryan coming now that he had seen just how quick on his feet Gavin was.

“Hey- I’m kinda tired” Michael told Gavin, nonchalantly trying to get him to leave so he could go to bed, that way he would just be closer to meeting his Princess. Gavin took the hint, and with a simple “goodnight my Prince” he was gone, leaving Michael alone in the room.

He settled into bed after his day, thinking about the fact that tomorrow was the day he had been waiting for for six damn years. As he shut his eyes, he first began to think about Lindsay, growing excited as he realized this was the last night he would ever need to imagine her, as tomorrow she would become a reality. Slowly, however, his brain began to shift, and he didn’t really understand why, and he sure as shit tried to repress it, but the thought was still there in his mind.

_ He fell asleep thinking about Gavin. _


	3. The Betrothal of a Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael finally meets Lindsay- and the Mad King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that this story has a playlist that I always listen to when writing!! Thanks so much for the support.   
> {Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0l0OcRp1NcceqqnQrd0vP6?si=qM_TWqCISIKTFVVEEoSNqg}

Michael tossed and turned for the entire night, desperately trying to get Gavin off his mind, trying to focus on the fact that he would be meeting Lindsay so soon. He had been waiting for this day for six years, and yet all he can think about is some Brit that he just met, someone that shouldn’t mean  _ anything _ to him, but still, he replayed the moment where Gavin had bested him in their mock fight over and over in his head until he heard a knock at his door in the morning. 

He immediately recognized the knock as his dad’s, and groaned as a way to signify to him that he was awake. Jack entered his room, walking over to Michael’s bed and ripping the covers off of him, causing the Prince to curse. 

“The King, Queen and Princess of Lograr will be arriving in a few hours, Ryan would beat you if he knew you were still in bed instead of preparing for them” Jack told him as Michael sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes and being startled by just how cold the hardwood floor was on his feet.

“Sorry dad, I didn’t sleep well” he explained, voice husky as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight that filled his room. Jack sat on the bed beside him, sensing something was on his son’s mind.

“Are you nervous about meeting Lindsay?” he asked.

“Something like that” Michael mumbled, not wanting to admit that he couldn’t get Gavin off his mind. Jack took his vague response as a yes, knowing how excited Michael had been to meet his future Queen.

“I’ve told you about the day I met your mother, haven’t I?” Jack asked, fully knowing the answer but partially hoping Michael would humour him and let him tell it again.

“About a thousand times dad, especially the part about the rose in her hair” Michael teased, causing both the men to laugh.

“But I haven’t told you about the day after she left” Jack said, watching his son’s expression change from a half-asleep boredom to engaged and intrigued. He smiled just thinking about the story.

“After I saw her boat leave, I instantly turned to my father and told him that I loved her. It’s funny to think about it now, the way I just  _ knew _ , but God, I knew, I was absolutely positive that she needed to be my Queen” Jack explained, Michael gently snuggling beside his dad as he listened to the story. There was something so calming about hearing him talk about his mother, and he loved to just sit back and listen, envisioning the girl in the painting full of life. 

“Do you- do you think I’ll have that with Lindsay?” Michael finally asked, but before Jack could answer they were interrupted by a knocking at the door. 

“Come in” Michael responded, instantly moving on from the conversation. Something about the fact that his dad didn’t immediately respond to his question with an affirming yes stressed him out way more than he would ever dare to admit. 

Gavin walked into the room, bowing at the sight of his King and Prince in front of him, causing Michael to roll his eyes.

“Mister Ramsey is looking for you, my King” said Gavin. Jack gently kissed Michael on the top of his head, ruffling his hand through his curls before leaving the room, thanking Gavin on his way out.

“Your bath is drawn, my Prince” Gavin told Michael. 

Michael wasted no time making his way to the grand bathroom across the hall, craving the feeling of warmth thanks to how bloody cold it was in the palace during the Fall. He entered the bathroom, instantly sighing as he felt the warm steam take him in like a hug. As he went to shut the door, he was stopped by Gavin holding the door open, practically inviting himself in.

“Uhh- privacy, Gav” Michael said, just wanting to kick the guy out so he could get in his bath before the water cooled off, but Gavin didn’t budge.

“The arrival of King Haywood has a lot of people upset, I have been ordered to stay with you at all times in case someone tries to harm you” Gavin explained, that same monotone voice as he had last night. 

“Can’t you just like…. Wait outside the door or something?” asked Michael, really not thrilled of the idea of having the man he just fantasized about in the room with him as he bathed, but Gavin just rolled his eyes, pointing towards a window.

“Someone could easily slip in and slit your throat before I could even open the door, so I’m afraid I’ll have to stay in here with you”. Michael instantly began to blush, but tried desperately not to show it.

“Good to know… Fine, just- just look away for a second” Michael told him, waiting until the man turned his head before he began to undress.

He slowly lifted off his shirt, wanting to make sure Gavin wouldn’t turn around before he told him to. Once he realized Gavin wouldn’t look, he tossed his shirt into a bin in the corner of the room and reached for his boxers. 

He hesitated for a moment, overthinking the situation way too much. He quietly muttered  _ “fuck” _ under his breath before pulling off his boxers, stepping out and tossing them into the bin as well. He approached the bath, stepping in and allowing himself to get used to the hot water before submerging himself in.

“Okay, you can turn around now” he told Gavin, watching as the man turned around. He almost expected for him to be blushing, or at least have some sort of awkward look on his face, but Gavin was as stone cold as usual, which bothered Michael. 

They sat in silence, Michael softly washing himself off with some soap that had been purchased from the market about a week ago. Although the water cooled, the room stayed warm and steamy, and Michael could feel beads of sweat attaching his curls to his forehead. 

Finally, he laid back, allowing his head to be covered with water, he laid there for a moment, the closest thing he would get to peace during this bath, before sitting back up to begin washing his hair.

He zoned out while washing his hair, and didn’t even realize that his gaze had focussed on Gavin. The other man stared blankly at him, completely unphased by what was going on. 

As Michael stared, he noticed the sweat that had formed on Gavin’s forehead, and  _ oh fuck _ it somehow made him more attractive than usual-  _ no _ !

Michael was meeting Lindsay today, and he envisioned them falling in love the way Emmaline and Jack had in the stories, but God Gavin was just stood there looking  _ hot _ and he was staring directly at Michael and;

“Are you looking at my dick?” Michael abruptly blurted out, regretting his stupid comment the second it left his mouth.

“I- what? No, my Prince I am certainly  _ not _ looking at your-” Gavin stuttered, flustered by the Prince’s nonchalant attitude.

“You know, you can call me Michael. I would actually appreciate it if you would call me Michael” he said, enjoying the momentary bits of an almost normal man. 

“Okay,  _ Michael” _ Gavin said while nodding, and  _ fuck _ did it sound nice coming from him.

Michael dunked his head back under the water, internally screaming at his subconscious’ apparent attraction to Gavin. When he sat back up, he turned to Gavin.

“Can you uh- turn around, please?” he nervously asked.

“Of course, Michael”.

He waited until Gavin was once again turned around before standing up and pulling the plug of the tub, carefully stepping out and wrapping himself in a towel, clearing his throat as a sign to Gavin that it was okay to turn around.

“So- what do you know about the Mad King?” Michael asked him, curious about how much someone like him would know, since he had spent so much time learning the in’s and out’s of the Kingdom and all it’s deals and partners.

“Ryan Haywood is a King who is hated almost as much as he is feared by his people” Gavin began, back to his rehearsed tone.

“He made the agreement with your father out of fear that he would never find a husband for his daughter, he was worried nobody would want any ties with his Kingdom due to his reputation, and he would be right. Your father agreed out of a dire need for the resources he provided, as well as the fact that he certainly did not want Ryan as an enemy.”

“What about Lindsay? And her mother?” Michael asked, enjoying just hearing the facts rather than the details his father and Geoff had told him over the years.

“Lindsay is the daughter of Ryan and the ‘Queen’ of Lograr, though nobody really recognizes her as that. She worked at a brothel, and ended up pregnant after Ryan visited her. They married purely out of principle, wanting there to be at least something  _ proper _ about the Princess’ life. From what I’ve heard, she’s incredibly quiet, mostly allowing Ryan to speak for her. Lindsay is the complete opposite; she inherited Ryan’s confidence and motivation, but is told to be way kinder than him. She is very intelligent, and has clear plans for the future of Lograr- and probably for Atteindre as well.” Gavin continued.

“Is there anything else you would like to know, Michael?” he asked, noticing how intrigued the Prince was by all of this information.

“Maybe later- I should probably get ready for their arrival” Michael said, going to leave the bathroom, but was stopped when Gavin reached for his arm.

“Michael, you need to bite your tongue when you are around him” Gavin told him, his usual tone was now somehow even more serious, which actually worried Michael.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll find out, just trust me, be cautious with how you speak to him”.

**…**

As they stood on the dock awaiting the ship from Lograr, Jack couldn’t help but think about how this had been him and Emmaline all those years ago. He stared lovingly at his son, watching as the Prince fiddled with his fingers as he waited for Lindsay to arrive.

As excited as Jack was to meet Lindsay, he was way more worried about having Ryan back at the Kingdom. His relationship with Ryan was stressful, to say the least; and a part of him would always despise him for how he refused to leave Emmaline alone, even after she told him flat out that she wanted nothing to do with him. 

But today wasn’t about him- today was about Michael and Lindsay, his boy was finally an adult, and he had to allow this to happen. With Geoff by his side he knew he could handle the Mad King, but he still prayed that Ryan would at least show some decency to him. 

“Holy shit! Here they come!” Michael called out, pointing towards the incoming ship. The ship was huge, of course, Ryan wouldn’t go for a modest entrance, it was his goal to put on a show for the people of Atteindre. 

Geoff grabbed Jack’s hand, gently rubbing it with his thumb in an attempt to calm his King down. Gavin stood beside Michael, hand readily rested on the handle of his sword. Michael stood smiling like an idiot, finally the moment he had been waiting for, Lindsay was arriving.

Ryan was the first to step off of the boat, reaching out his right hand specifically so Jack was forced to pull away from Geoff in order to shake his hand. Jack instantly noticed his sly move, and knew that the exciting time in their kids lives wasn’t going to change Ryan’s personality. Geoff sighed before bowing to the Mad King, even with his relationship to Jack, Ryan was still a higher rank than him, and he absolutely did  _ not _ want to upset the Mad King by acting like he was superior. Gavin and Michael bowed as well, Michael putting on his best  _ ‘responsible Prince’ _ act for the Mad King, and Geoff assumed Gavin was able to warn him about just how important it is for him to act respectful around Ryan. 

Ryan’s wife was the next to step off, curtseying quickly before practically attaching herself to Ryan’s side, staring non-discreetly at the ground rather than at any of them. Jack watched Ryan give her arm a squeeze, and she immediately looked up, a mix of fear and some kind of weird adrenaline in her eyes.

“My name is Genevieve, it is so lovely to meet you all, thank you so much for having us” she said, eyes wandering from person to person, not letting them stay for too long. Her hands were tightly gripped to Ryan’s forearm, and she looked like a frightened child stood beside him. Had Jack not known she was coming, he probably would’ve guessed this was Ryan’s child rather than his wife, both timid and youthful in appearance. 

Lindsay stepping off the boat instantly put any comparison to rest, as the way that she carried herself was so much more confident than Genevieve, reminding Jack of the things he had heard about his future daughter in law. She curtsied briefly before her eyes met Michael’s and instantly the Prince was blushing. 

Michael bowed, extending his hand to take hers and gently pressing a kiss to it, the way Geoff had instructed him, but somehow it looked unrehearsed. Not sloppy- but pure, as if Michael genuinely felt this affection towards her. 

“Welcome to Atteindre” Jack finally said, cutting the silence between everybody. The rest of the staff arriving from Lograr quietly exited the boat. 

“We are very happy to have you all here.”

**…**

After ensuring that Ryan, Genevieve and Lindsay were settled in their rooms; Jack, Geoff, Genevieve and Ryan all left to have drinks and catch up on their lives  _ (kind speak for play nice with each other while the Prince and Princess get to know each other) _ , leaving Lindsay, Michael, Gavin and Lindsay’s handmaid, a quiet girl who introduced herself as Fiona, alone. 

Gavin and Fiona stood in the corner of the room in silence, not really being allowed to go anywhere else, and Michael and Lindsay sat on the couch, beginning to discuss details about themselves.

“I really like cats” Lindsay told Michael after he mentioned his love of lions, a cute smile coming across her face.

“Big cats, house cats, stray cats- I love them” she explained.

“Your dad would probably have a pet tiger if he could” Michael said, causing Lindsay to laugh, her giggles making Michael smile at just how cute she really was.

“Honestly, I’m shocked he hasn’t tried it,” she told him.

“I don’t think your mother would like that very much,” Michael said, instantly regretting it as he saw her smile fade.

“I mean-” he began to explain, but she raised her hand to silence him.

“No- I get why you say that, she’s- quiet, I know” Lindsay trailed off, leaving the two of them in a very uncomfortable silence that was thankfully broken by a knock at the door.

“Dinner is served” one of the servants told them, and Michael internally thanked God for breaking the situation, hoping Lindsay would forget about how he just completely fucked up their conversation.

Gavin and Fiona walked the Prince and Princess to the dining hall, leaving them once they were seated to go have some food themselves in the workers quarters. Everyone was already sitting at the table, Jack and Geoff on one side, Ryan and Genevieve on the other. Lindsay silently sat beside her father, immediately reaching for the pre-poured wine glass that was waiting for her. Michael sat beside Jack, sighing as he felt his father gently pat his leg, feeling comforted by his presence. 

“I would like to propose a toast” Ryan said, reaching for his glass of wine and holding it out.

“To our Kingdom’s finally being joined together, may this marriage bring us all strength and wealth to come” he said, everyone clinking their glasses with his. Ryan noticed that Geoff was the only one at the table drinking water when their glasses touched.

“It isn’t a proper cheers if we aren’t all drinking wine” Ryan said, flustering Geoff.

“Oh- sorry, I don’t drink,” Geoff said, sipping his water.

“Understandable, this wine is far too good for just a hand of the King anyways” Ryan nonchalantly responded, and Michael watched as Jack clenched his jaw in anger. Michael knew his father desperately wanted to respond, but assumed Geoff was gently rubbing his arm to try and calm him down.

Through the entire awkward exchange Genevieve just stared down at the table, and Michael rolled his eyes as she noticed her making no attempt to calm her husband down after his rude remark. 

_ ‘Figures’ _ Michael thought to himself,  _ ‘he married a woman he could control, someone he could walk all over- and she just sits back and lets him”. _

“So, Ryan, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the story about how you and Genevieve met” a  _ naive _ Jack said in an attempt to change the subject, and Michael immediately grew worried when he remembered the story Gavin had told him that morning.  _ ‘Maybe Ryan will sugar coat it’ _ Michael thought to himself, both to save the group from an awkward discussion and to brag to Jack about how he didn’t need Emmaline. 

Genevieve instantly began to blush, and opened her mouth as if to process the request, but Ryan, of course, talked over her. He definitely wasn’t going to sugar coat it.

“Well, after the unfortunate death of my fiance” Ryan began, and Michael tried desperately to restrain himself from rolling his eyes, knowing fully well he was responsible for having her executed and lied about her being unfaithful. 

“I was lonely, and decided to stop by a brothel one evening” he continued, Genevieve and Lindsay both refusing to make eye contact with anybody that was across the table. Ryan chuckled as he observed all the reactions, his wife and daughter visibly uncomfortable, and Jack, Geoff and Michael all too shocked at his  _ bluntness _ to really say anything. 

“A few months later I found out she was pregnant with Lindsay, and she swore I was her only customer that could’ve been the father. I believed her, because she was well aware of the punishment that would’ve come had she lied” Ryan just kept talking, each word he spoke amazing Michael more and more- he was just so carefree, so disrespectful. 

“When I found out about the  _ awful _ death of dear Emmaline when you were born, I knew it was a possibility for both of our Kingdom’s to grow stronger than ever” Ryan said, staring directly at Michael,  _ fucking blaming him for his mothers death _ . 

“And well, I guess the rest is history” he finished, swirling his wine as he watched, as he fucking bathed in the glory of how uncomfortable he had made everybody else at the table. 

_ They spent the rest of their dinner in silence.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention the meaning of the names of both kingdoms: 'Atteindre' is French for 'Achieve' and 'Lograr' is Spanish for 'Achieve'.


	4. The Associations of a Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the many people in Michael's life.

Gavin had always been a morning person, he had been ever since he was a boy, he loved to watch as the sun rises and beautiful peaches and pinks and oranges colour the sky. Gavin was always the first person to quietly sneak out of the staff’s living area in the palace, and did the same thing every morning;  _ he checked on Michael _ . It could easily be brushed off as him doing his job, ensuring that the Prince was safe and well, but that wasn’t protocol, and nobody knew he did it. 

The first night of the Lograr’s stay was a restless night for most of the people in the Kingdom, and Gavin once again woke up to a dark sky and a silence spread across the palace. He quietly dressed himself, readying up for the day, before wandering through the halls to check on the Prince. 

Michael was in the same position he was every morning, sprawled across his bed on his tummy, his blanket draping off of his legs, leaving his back exposed to the chilly room. Michael was always warm, and Gavin could feel that warmth radiating off of him whenever they got too close.

Gavin didn’t linger, the fear of being caught doing something so simple- but forbidden was even more present with the Mad King just a few rooms down. He also knew that Michael wouldn’t be waking up for quite a few more hours, the Prince always sleeping long past Jack’s morning threats to wake him up. Instead, he made his way to the kitchen, where he expected to have his lonesome morning coffee and watch the sunrise from the giant windows that viewed the garden. 

But this morning, there was already a mug missing and someone sitting in his daily spot.

Lindsay had visible bags under her eyes, and Gavin could tell immediately that she was running on pure caffeine. The two looked at each other briefly, before Lindsay averted her gaze to her cup of coffee, holding it with both of her hands. Gavin shrugged, grabbing a mug of his own and pouring a nearly overflowing cup of coffee before sitting beside Lindsay. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked him, tapping her fingers on the side of the mug. 

“I’m typically up this early, my lady. What about you? Is there anything I can do for you?” Gavin asked, internally angry that he could somehow sound so rehearsed this early in the morning. Lindsay just sighed.

“It’s just weird being away from home, I guess” Lindsay began, the two were mutually aware that although the unfamiliar surroundings were surely not helpful, the reason for her nerves and lack of sleep was clear.

“Please tell me if there is anything I can do for you” Gavin replied, before the two faded into a peaceful silence.

Neither of them talked, but they were each grateful for the other’s presence as they watched the sunrise. It wasn’t as impressive as it usually was, and a part of Gavin wanted to tell Lindsay that what she saw was nothing compared to the sunrise he had seen a few weeks prior, but he opted to keep his mouth shut, he wasn’t supposed to be friendly with her, it simply wasn’t allowed. 

“Back home, in the Fall, we have the most amazing sunsets,” Lindsay said, breaking the silence they had been sitting in for who knows how long now. 

“My mother has told me stories about them, I’ve always wanted to visit Lograr” Gavin said, not even thinking about the informality in what he was saying. Staff weren’t supposed to talk about their personal lives, and even if his mother had avoided that rule, he really didn’t feel like facing Ryan’s wrath. 

“Did she grow up there?” Lindsay asked, turning to face the man.

“She did, but she moved to Atteindre a week or so before I was born. I’ve never left here, I was raised to be-” Gavin told her, but cut himself off.

“I’m very sorry my lady, I should not be talking about myself” he said, the genuine excitement he had previously had when talking about his mother vanished. 

“No- I asked, I wanted to know,” Lindsay said, but the damage was done. Gavin was already on edge, and he also knew that everyone would be waking up soon and he would have to go to work. He stood up, turning to face Lindsay and bowing. 

“Thank you for your time, my lady”.

**…**

Ryan opted to let Genevieve sleep in that morning, she had been tired out the night before, plus he wanted to talk to Geoff and Jack alone. 

Breakfast was already served and Geoff and Jack were sitting at the table, smiling as they chatted about who cares what, their smiles fading when they saw Ryan enter the room. Ryan sat across from the two men, instantly greeted by a mug of steaming coffee. 

“Y’know, one thing I really missed from here was your guys’ coffee, it is absolutely amazing” Ryan said, each person at the table unamused by his small talk, but decided it was only fair to allow themselves to caffeinate before diving into whatever bullshit Ryan had for them this morning. 

“So let’s talk about the wedding” Ryan said after finishing his cup, lifting his arm in a motion to signal for another glass which he was quickly given.

“What about it?” Geoff asked.

“A week from now I will have ships coming in containing people from Lograr, we will host the wedding ceremony here, and I expect full accomodation for all of my guests.”

“So soon?” Jack asked instantly, surprised by how quickly Ryan seemed to want to progress this.

“Our kids just met”.

“Ah, Pattillo, I hope you aren’t getting cold feet now, that would be incredibly unfortunate” Ryan taunted, glaring at his fellow King. 

“Of course not- I just meant that I figured we should give Michael and Lindsay more time to get to know each other before springing them into something so big and important”.

“Maybe you’re right- a month then. You may all come to Lograr in a week or two so Michael has a chance to see the Kingdom before we ultimately return here for the wedding” Ryan offered, but Jack really had no choice but to accept. 

“That sounds good, I think they both need some time to adapt to the situation before they can begin a happy marriage” Geoff said, and Ryan turned his head to look at him.

The Mad King was pretty easy to read, and Geoff knew from the moment he stepped off the boat that Ryan was not overly fond of him. A part of it he could understand, he was once just a staff member- which wasn’t the only  _ strange _ part of he and Jack’s relationship, they were also the first homosexual rulers any of the Kingdom’s had seen.

Still, it slightly bothered Geoff that Ryan couldn’t simply pretend to like him for the sake of Michael, Lindsay and pretty much everyone involved in the marriage that  _ he _ had orchestrated- but that just wouldn’t be Ryan. Maybe Geoff should be more grateful, had it not been for Ryan he probably wouldn’t even be alive today, but still, something about Ryan unsettled him. 

“I guess we had better start making arrangements” Jack finally said, and the Mad King smirked.

**…**

Gavin wasn’t the only person with a habit. At some point in the day, Michael made sure to go to his mother’s memorial room. Allowing himself time to sit and talk to her about everything going on in his life. It was his favourite part of the day- a time where he could be vulnerable, a time where he could feel close to the part of him he always felt was missing. 

This morning, the door to his mother’s room was left open, and there was already someone inside. 

Genevieve sat in silence, just staring at the painting of Emmaline. She seemed so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Michael enter the room until she heard the door shut behind him. Startled, she jumped a little, turning to face the Prince, an unreadable expression present on him. 

“You’re not supposed to be in here” Michael said, annoyed that his special place was overtaken by somebody he barely knew- and the things that he did know he didn’t exactly respect. 

“I’m so sorry, Michael- the door was open and I just saw the painting and I couldn’t help myself-” Genevieve rambled, cutting herself off when she saw the expression of the Prince change. 

“Why are you even in here?” he asked. 

“I’ve heard so many stories about your mother. Her beauty, her kindness, her selflessness, every single charming detail about her has been something I’ve been reminded of every time the King drinks too much or I accidentally upset him. I feel like I know more about your mother than I do about myself sometimes” she rambled, instantly feeling regret as she recognized she was ranting to someone who probably didn’t care. Well, she had already fucked up, she may as well attempt to reassure Michael about Ryan’s intimidating presence. 

“A part of me wanted to hate her- because every mistake I made was just a reminder that she would never screw up like me, but I can’t. She’s the kind of person people tell stories about for years to come, and she’ll be highly regarded long after you and I are dead”.

“I really wish I knew her” Michael blurted out, shocked by how blunt he was being with a practical stranger. 

“I do too, but I know about her, and somehow I feel like that makes me better. You are blessed to have the parents you have, and she was blessed to have you as a child.”

Michael instantly looked to the ground, not wanting Genevieve to see the tears that had began to form in his eyes. Ryan’s sly comment to him at dinner last night had really stuck with him, bringing back the childhood guilt that he carried- the feeling that he was responsible for his mother’s death. 

“Ryan is many things, but Michael, he really did love your mother. I genuinely believe a huge part of him wants you and Lindsay to be happy because you’re all that’s left of her, and he wants to ensure your success and happiness” Genevieve explained, reaching out to place her tiny hand on the Prince’s tense shoulder. 

“I want this to work, I really do” Michael said, his voice shaky. There was a somber atmosphere in the room, the two people reflecting on just how intricate their situation and relationship was. Yet, the presence of each other seemingly pleased their peer, and Michael was so grateful he had had a chance to speak to the actual Genevieve, not just some prop put on display by the Mad King. He raised his hand and placed it on top of hers, whispering incredibly quietly as to not break the peaceful setting. 

_ “Thank you” _ .

**…**

The King’s both agreed to let Lindsay and Michael have a private dinner in the garden, everyone thinking that the alone time would be good for the both of them. Of course, they couldn’t entirely be alone- and Michael worried he would spend the entire dinner distracted by the presence of his handsome hand; but Gavin and Fiona kept their distance, allowing the two the illusion of privacy. 

Michael felt more comfortable speaking to Lindsay without the Mad King breathing down his neck, and found that their conversation felt a lot more natural when they were able to let their guards down. Michael took a slow sip of wine, studying how Lindsay held her hand in front of her mouth when she laughed, as well as how her eyes crinkled when Michael said something she found really funny.

The conversation had been light at first, them talking about childhood stories  _ (the one’s about the Mad King being a lovely dad were definitely shocking to Michael, but he loved seeing how happy Lindsay was when she talked about the highlights of her family- when her parents actually got along they seemed incredibly happy) _ before the mood shifted. It was when Michael briefly brought up his mother when telling Lindsay bits of how his father and Geoff got together- he could see the look on her face change. 

“Is everything okay” Michael asked sheepishly, wondering why the mention of his mother made Lindsay so obviously anxious. 

“That’s just- the first thing you’ve ever said about her” Lindsay said, her expression changing to a sweet smile. 

It was at that moment Michael realized why the topic of his mother startled her, she was  _ guilty _ . Here she was, ranting about the subpar experiences she had growing up with both her parents, forgetting she was speaking to someone who never even got to know his mother. 

“Yeah, I guess it was. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about her- it’s just that I don’t know anything about her other than the stories I’ve heard from my dad, most of which are cheesy details about how they fell in love” Michael explained, and Lindsay continued to feel bad. 

“Y’know she kicked my dad’s ass once?” Lindsay said after a few moments, causing Michael to choke on the sip of wine he had just taken. 

“No shit?! Dad’s never told me that one” Michael said, laughing as he pictured the dainty girl in the picture he knew so well putting the Mad King to shame. 

“He had her promise she wouldn’t tell anyone. It was at my parent’s wedding, your Emmaline went to the restroom and dad followed her- he swore it was just to talk to her, but the second she saw his reflection in the mirror approach her she turned and swung at him, punching him so hard in the eye he stumbled into the wall” Lindsay told the story between laughs. The two laughed for a minute or so after she was done, Michael wheezing as he thought about it. 

“Maybe that’s why I’m such a badass” Michael finally said after the two were done laughing, which just caused another round of giggling and wheezing as they gasped for air. 

This finally warranted Gavin to approach them, wanting to make sure everything was okay. Lindsay was leaning in towards the Prince, gently resting her head against his arm as they laughed. 

“Is everything okay?” Gavin asked, startling the two. 

“Oh yeah- everything is fine, Michael was just telling me about how tough he is” Lindsay said, Michael glaring jokingly at her.

Gavin’s lips curled into the closest thing to a smile he’s really allowed himself to show in awhile, picturing how he had gotten the ‘tough’ Prince on his ass in just a few seconds.

Michael smiled when he saw Gavin smile- it was just another thing that made him attractive. His night with Lindsay was going so well, but just the moments he spent with Gavin were enough to raise his heartbeat and fluster him. 

Gavin disappeared behind some shrubs, giving the two their illusion of privacy once again, but the feeling had shifted, and Lindsay could tell that the brief interaction had changed Michael’s attitude. 

“So what do you think about Gavin?” Lindsay asked, instantly causing Michael to blush, which only became worse when he tried to hide it. 

“Oh- he’s pretty cool, kinda quiet and montone, but he’s cool, I guess” Michael stuttered, hoping Lindsay couldn’t pick up on his unfortunately obvious tells. He cleared his throat, hoping he could still salvage the situation. 

“What about Fiona?” he asked.

“She’s really nice, I think we both have the same complaint of how rehearsed and robotic they seem, but that’s how they’re trained to be”.

Rather than try to change the subject, Michael opted to see if he could even pull off any romance tonight. Slowly, he reached for Lindsay’s hand, which she allowed him to take. She scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling close, allowing him to gently press his lips onto the top of her head. The two sat in silence, admiring how peaceful the garden looked at night. 

**…**

The two went their separate ways after their time together, and Gavin followed Michael into his room a few hours into the night. Everyone in the castle was already asleep, but Michael still wasn’t tired. 

He sprawled onto his bed, laying on his back and resting his head on top of his hands, Gavin stood in the corner of the room, still as a statue. 

“You fucked things up for me with Lindsay” Michael finally said, thinking back to how he acted like a schoolgirl after a simple interaction with Gavin.

“I’m not quite sure how, but I do apologize my Prin- Michael” Gavin corrected himself, which just ended up making Michael smile because he remembered that he was allowed to call him Michael when they were alone, because nobody was around to scold him for his informality. 

“Thanks for not telling Lindsay how you kicked my ass when I tried to fight you” Michael said, which caused Gavin to do something he didn’t even know he could do anymore;  _ he laughed _ .

Sure, it wasn’t a laugh like Michael and Lindsay had shared, but it was still a chuckle, a pure feeling of happiness that caused him to feel inclined to laugh and  _ holy shit _ he hadn’t laughed in so bloody long. 

If a smile had caused a spark in Michael’s stomach, hearing the other man laugh was a god damn fire. Michael knew a bit about how hand’s were trained- how emotions were something they weren’t really supposed to have, since they could jeopardize the safety of the royals and blah blah blah. 

Gavin felt comfortable enough to laugh in front of him, and it had been such a short time since they had met. Deep down he began to wonder how else Gavin would slowly regain his humanity with him, and the thought excited him way more than even the thought of meeting Lindsay ever had.

Another part of Michael was overtaken with guilt, especially since he had just had such a nice night with Lindsay, but here he was, feeling so fucking elated after simply hearing Gavin laugh. 

Michael sat up, lifting his shirt off and walking it towards the bin in the corner of the room. He slowly slipped off his jeans, leaving him in just his boxers, the floor somehow feeling even colder against his bare feet as he grew warm everywhere else. 

He wasn’t really sure what came over him, maybe it was the adrenaline of hearing Gavin laugh, or it was the happiness he felt after accomplishing so many firsts with Gavin already, but the Prince reached out his arm, gripping Gavin’s shoulder and looking him directly into the eyes. 

_ “I really like it when you laugh, Gavin” _ .

The comment didn’t warrant a laugh, but it caused Gavin to grin even wider than he had at dinner, which just made Michael feel more soft and attracted to the man.

Breaking so many rules, Gavin lifted his arm up, allowing it to grip the Prince’s shoulder the same way he was gripping his own. They just looked at each other for a few moments before Gavin finally spoke, the smile not leaving his mouth. 

  
_ “Goodnight, Michael. Sleep well, I’ll see you in the morning” _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do love me some soft Michael/Lindsay and Michael/Gavin content.


	5. The Adventures of a Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning- mentions of puking due to seasickness.

Michael had never been on a boat- the furthest he’d been from the shores of Atteindre were during the times he swam in the ocean with Geoff and his dad as a kid; so how the fuck was he supposed to know he would get seasick?

At first the boat ride was peaceful, enjoying the fact that in every direction he looked he could only see the ocean, but as more time passed and each wave hit the boat he slowly found himself feeling nauseous. 

With around an hour left until they reached Lograr, Michael was sitting at the side of the ship, head leaning over the rail, vomiting every few minutes. The first time he puked caused an  _ obnoxious _ laugh to come from Geoff and Ryan, but it became less amusing each time he hurled.

Jack sat beside his son, patting his back gently. It embarrassed Michael that not only did he look like an idiot for puking so many times, but he also looked like a bloody child being coddled by his father. He knew Ryan was probably mocking him to Genevieve and Lindsay, but he quite honestly didn’t have the energy to care. His only focus was the fact that soon he would be on dry land and- _ oh fuck he still had a trip home in a week to get through. _

In between retches Michael heard someone clear their throat behind him, and turned to see Gavin with two drinks, one in each hand.

“Could I have a moment with the Prince?” he asked, the same formality he had in his tone whenever he wasn’t alone. Jack nodded, rubbing Michael’s shoulder once more before leaving the two men alone. Gavin approached Michael, reaching one of his hands out that contained a glass. 

“Just some water- you’re gonna be really dehydrated with nothing in your system” Gavin explained, his voice a bit lighter than it was when the King was around, but still a noticeable amount of worry in his tone. 

Michael took the glass, leaning back to chug it when he felt the man’s hand wrap around his forearm.

“Slowly, Michael, you don’t want to make yourself sick again” he said, gently pulling Michael’s arm back from his mouth, allowing the half full glass to rest in his hand. Gavin quickly pulled his hand away, making sure nobody caught the touch they shared. 

Michael drank the rest of his water slowly, listening to the sound of the waves that were calming now that he wasn’t actively puking. When he finished his water he set the glass on the ground, planning to return it when he was feeling better. 

“Do you still feel sick?” Gavin asked him. 

“Not really,” Michael said as he shook his head, Gavin nodded. 

“Sit down,” Gavin said, sitting on the ground as well, resting his back against the side of the ship. Michael sat beside him, taking the warm mug that Gavin reached out to him. 

“It’s tea, my mum always made it for me when I was sick as a kid” Gavin told him, that gorgeous little smile on his lips. 

Gavin never really talked about his mother, which Michael assumed was more-so because the people who trained him ingrained into his head that he wasn’t supposed to talk about himself around the royals, but a part of Michael wondered if Gavin didn’t want to talk about his mother because he was scared about upsetting Michael. 

Regardless, he didn’t pry or ask questions, just thanked him for the gesture and slowly sipped his tea, the two sat peacefully as they awaited their arrival to Lograr.

**…**

When they docked, Lograr was exactly how Michael had pictured it. It wasn’t as homey or welcoming as Atteindre was, but it was incredibly well put together, every single person he saw hard at work doing whatever task they needed to do. 

Ryan turned to face everyone once they all arrived at the palace, which somehow exuded the exact same energy that the Mad King did. The ceilings were all covered in intricate murals and the castle was pristine. The staff all walked with their heads pointed straight forward, and they looked more robotic than human as they worked.

“Lindsay, why don’t you get Michael settled in?” Ryan said, his words seeming like a question but his tone a demand. She nodded, leading Michael down a hallway and up some stairs. They entered a room, and Gavin and Fiona actually allowed them to be alone. She sat on the edge of the bed, turning to face Michael, which he took as a sign that he should also sit with her. 

“Not so ‘smooth sailing’, huh?” she asked, a joking tone in her voice, which made them both laugh. 

“God, I didn’t think I was the type to get seasick.”

“I was when I was a kid, it’s kind of something I outgrew the more time I spent out on the water”.

“To be fair, it was my first time on a boat”.

“No shit?”

“Yeah, I never really had anywhere to go”.

“I used to go on trips with my dad a lot when I was a kid, he wanted me to get to see the world, I guess” Lindsay said, which caused Michael to look at her, puzzled.

Ryan Haywood was a lot of things, and Michael had pictured him brutalizing people on many different occasions. He had seen first-hand how disrespectful he could be with words, but also knew that that was nothing compared to how he probably spoke to Genevieve when they were alone. Hell, he heard the rumours about how he had his first fiance killed because she wasn’t good enough, so the thought of Ryan being a good father was insane to him.

Michael hadn’t really interacted with Genevieve since their conversation about his mother, but he did watch her from afar, and Michael could just tell she was a great mother. She may be timid and quiet, but she was also calm and nurturing, which was something Ryan certainly wasn’t. 

Perhaps it was the mix of the two’s incredibly different mindsets and personalities, or maybe Lindsay just got lucky when it came to genetics and the parts the Mad King really let her see- but the Princess of Lograr was perfect. She was a mix of nurturing and level-headed, as well as tough and intelligent. Michael had pictured Lindsay for awhile, dreaming about the variety of different ways she could act, but the Lindsay he was slowly getting to know was somehow better than every version he had made up.

That’s why Michael was so confused as to why something was holding back from making a move, from reaching out and furthering the bond that although they were forced into, was blossoming into something amazing. Deep down Michael knew exactly what was keeping him from diving into things with Lindsay, and he would never dare admit that he had feelings for someone else. 

Michael at all trying to break away from a marriage arranged by the Mad King was something he considered a suicide mission, he would never be so stupid as to deliberately defy the Mad King. There was also the aspect of who this other person was, and how they would never be allowed to truly be happy due to a variety of different reasons. 

The relationship between King Jack Pattillo and his hand, Geoff Ramsey was one in a million. So many socially implemented rules were broken by their bond, and forging their relationship was something that was anything but easy. Without the protection given from Ryan and Lograr, they certainly would’ve been ambushed by disapproving rival Kingdoms, which would’ve ultimately ended in the death of Geoff, Jack and/or Michael. They had such a special, specific bond that eventually people recognized as a good thing for Atteindre, and they became an exception from what was once deemed wrong.

Michael would never have that, not only because Ryan would never allow him to be with anyone but his daughter, or because both homosexuality and royalty dating staff were incredibly shamed, but because Michael wasn’t even sure the man he was pining for felt anything towards him.

Their little interactions may be enough to keep Michael awake at night, blushing and imagining how much further they could take it, but Gavin was still pretty unreachable, and Michael didn’t really know how he felt about him. Sure, his gesture on the ship may have been sweet and personal, and Michael may be absolutely obsessed over the fact that he could still feel the butterflies in his stomach that came when their legs touched as they sat on the boat- but Gavin was his hand. Gavin was trained and raised to prioritize Michael and what he needed, and this all could just be the man trying to please his Prince.

“Thinking?” Lindsay asked, snapping Michael out of the universe Michael’s brain had put him in. He nodded, stuttering to come up with an excuse. 

“Yeah- it’s just weird being away from home, I guess” he said, hoping it was believable. Lindsay nodded, smiling at him. 

“I could show you around if you’d like, make it feel more homey. There’s a few spots around here that I absolutely love” Lindsay rambled, causing Michael to smile as he saw the wheels turning in her brain, picturing Lindsay in a variety of picturesque locations around the beautiful land. 

“I would really like that, but I’m exhausted after the trip. Could you show me around tomorrow?” Michael said, yawning. It wasn’t a lie, a mix of travelling and vomiting had really worn him out. 

“Of course- I can leave you be” she said, motioning to stand up and away from the bed. Without much hesitation, Michael reached for her arm. 

“You can stay- I would like it if you stayed, Lindsay” he said, and she sat back down. Slowly, he laid down onto the bed, reaching out his arm and motioning for Lindsay to lay with him. She also laid back, resting her head next to his chest. He leaned his own head down, allowing it to rest on top of her’s, her soft hair rubbing against his cheek. Gently, she reached for his hand, which she propped on his chest, holding it tightly and running her thumb over his palm. The two both closed their eyes, falling asleep in a blissful silence.

**…**

Lindsay woke up when she heard the door open, Fiona coming in to tell them it was time for dinner. She shook Michael’s arm, but the man just groaned; she took that as a sign that she should leave him be, he could always eat later when he wakes up. 

Dinner was tame, everyone seemed to get along, and Jack and Ryan probably both had a few too many glasses of wine. Lindsay debated going back into Michael’s room to sleep, but opted to go to her own room, she missed the comfort of her own bed. 

Michael slept soundly through dinner, which is why Gavin was sure he could sneak into his room without waking him. It was dark now, the only light being given by the tiny glimpse of the moon that shone through the window, which Gavin used to rummage through Michael’s suitcase he had packed for the trip.

Everything about what he was doing was so,  _ so _ , wrong, but he had to find the flashlight he knew Michael had packed, tonight was the only night he would have to roam around the empty streets of Lograr, as the next few nights he presumed Michael would be up familiarizing himself with the Kingdom. It was also raining, which got most of the people of Lograr inside for the night- Gavin couldn’t ask for a better night for this.

He found the flashlight, as well as felt the material of a rain slicker, and quietly pulled the two out of the suitcase. He stepped backwards, believing he was in the clear, before nailing his heel on the sharp wooden side of the bed, wailing in pain before stumbling onto the bed, landing on his back on top of the Prince’s legs.

Startled, Michael jolted awake, sitting up instantly. He rubbed his eyes, confused as to where he was and what time it was and where Lindsay was and who the  _ fuck _ was on top of him.

“Gavin?! What the fuck is going on” he whisper yelled, noting the darkness that spread across the room.

“I am so sorry to wake you my Prince- I tripped on my way out” Gavin stuttered, standing up from the bed. Michael turned to look at him, which is when he noticed not only his open suitcase, but the rain coat and flashlight in the other man’s hands.

“What are you doing?” he asked, the slight pain in his leg from where Gavin’s elbow landed on him the only thing that signified the fact that this wasn’t yet another wild dream about Gavin, but that he was actually here. 

“Uh- unpacking” Gavin said, the answer sounding barely convincing even to Gavin.

Michael tilted his head, smirking as he wondered what exactly Gavin was up to. It was rare for Gavin to seem flustered, and Michael wanted to use that to his advantage, to see just what Gavin was thinking- what he was feeling. 

“You know, it’s a crime to lie to your Prince” Michael teased, causing Gavin to sigh, knowing fully he had been caught in a lie.

“So, what are you doing rummaging through and stealing my shit at night?” Michael asked again.

“Okay- it’s a long story, but I wanted to go explore” Gavin told him, which was not the answer Michael had expected  _ (though he wasn’t sure what exactly he was expecting Gavin to say) _ .

“And the story is?” Michael pushed, knowing Gavin would have to open up to him in this situation. Gavin smiled, a full blown smile actually grew on his face which only added to Michael’s curiosity and excitement.

“This is where my mother was born and raised, she lived in Lograr until a few weeks before I was born. She always told me stories about her time here- and I just wanted the opportunity to see it for myself” Gavin explained, the pure excitement and genuine tone in his voice was enough to make Michael grin even bigger than Michael.

“I’m down for a late night adventure” Michael said, standing up from the bed.

“Oh- I don’t think that’s a good idea” Gavin began to protest, but Michael shushed him.

“No discussion, either you let me come or I report you” Michael teased. On paper, what he was doing may seem cruel- but he could tell that deep down Gavin wanted him to join him. If he didn’t honestly think a part of Gavin welcomed him he would’ve let the man go on his own, but he could tell that Gavin was holding himself back from inviting Michael to come.

Gavin’s lack of protests only further proved he wanted Michael to come, as he reached the rain jacket out to the Prince.

“I don’t want it,” Michael said, putting his hand out to stop the offer.

“I’m not wearing one if you aren’t” Gavin said, absolutely nothing stone cold or rehearsed in his voice. Finally, he sounded like a real person. 

_ “Then I guess we’re gonna get fucking soaked, huh?” _

**…**

The two men snuck out of the palace, quickly running away from the entrance after leaving the front doors. Once they were a reasonable distance away from the palace, they stopped, Gavin finally turning the flashlight on.

He pointed the bright light directly at Michael, and instantly began to laugh when he saw just how wet the Prince already was. His typically fluffy curls were soaked, sticking to his forehead. His shirt was drenched and clung to him tightly, and Gavin averted his gaze from just how handsome he looked.

Michael, realizing the laughter was due to his appearance, reached out and grabbed the flashlight from Gavin, shining it towards the man. He then understood why Gavin was laughing at him as he saw the raindrops dripping down Gavin’s face, his damp hair stuck to his forehead. Gavin shiverred, and Michael partially regretted not bringing the raincoat just in case.

“Okay, do you have any idea where you’re going?” Michael finally asked, handing the flashlight to Gavin.

“Not exactly, I was kinda just planning on wandering and hoping I would find some of the places my mum told me about” Gavin told him, just now realizing how unprepared he was for his adventure.

“Perfect, let’s start walking then” Michael responded, running ahead of Gavin and making the man rush to keep up.

With each step the men took, a loud sound from the impact on the cobblestone ground filled the air, mixing with the patting of the rain and the laughs they would sometimes let out. Puddles splashed and rain dampened their clothes, leaving the two men soaked and cold- but they didn’t feel anything other than bliss and adrenaline as they sprinted around.

Gavin led Michael around, just exploring the area rather than searching for something specific. Michael followed him, placing all the trust in the man in front of him. Eventually Gavin could see something that sounded familiar in the distance, and sped up to reach the destination. 

  
  


The orchard was a place Gavin had heard countless stories about from his mother. It was a place where she spent a lot of time before she became pregnant- a place where she always felt safe and comfortable; and seeing it, Gavin understood why. 

The men both stood in amazement as they stared at the rows of blooming apple trees, leaves fully grown and bright red apples somehow shone through the darkness. The orchard was illuminated softly by a few street lights and lanterns, providing just enough light to make the orchard seem like it’s own little safe haven. 

“My mum always used to come here to read- it was decently secluded for the time in between harvests, so nobody would catch her,” Gavin began to tell Michael. The Prince’s gaze had shifted from the beauty of the orchard to staring at Gavin. The man was smiling big, reminiscing about the stories his mother would tell him on rainy days when neither of them had anything to do but hold each other and relax. The fact that it was raining just made the experience so much more vivid- it comforted him, an aspect of him believed he could actually feel her presence. 

Gavin began to walk further into the orchard, passing by plenty of trees, until he reached what seemed like the centre. The further Michael followed him the more it reminded him of the games of hide and seek he and his father used to play in the forests around Atteindre when he was younger. 

Gavin finally settled on a tree, hesitating briefly before thinking about how he was already soaked through and through. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, sitting and resting his back against the tree. He shut his eyes- and for a moment Michael was unsure if he should join him. He seemed so at peace, and Michael allowed himself to just observe it for awhile- Gavin, damp and cold, with a soft grin spread across his lips, allowing the rain to soak him as he just  _ existed _ . Finally, Michael approached the tree, kneeling to sit beside him, resting his back against the tree as well. The two boys' cold and wet shoulders touched gently, and there was something incredibly comforting about their touch.

“I always dreamed of visiting here with her” Gavin began to ramble.

“She told me plenty of stories about her time here, but the one’s in the orchard were always my favourite. Whenever I was sad as a child, I just pictured us, sat in the orchard, her telling me a story and holding me close like she always did”.

Michael didn’t respond, believing it was probably better to allow Gavin to talk about his mother. God, it was so nice to see and hear the man slowly open up- to talk more and more about himself and his past.

It was almost instantly after Michael had the thought of how much he loved seeing Gavin come out of his shell, that Gavin reverted back into his old ways.

“I’m so sorry, my Prince. I shouldn’t be telling you this- we should really go back, I don’t want you to get sick” the fucking monotoned voice told him, and Michael was saddened to see the once blooming Gavin shrivel into the shell of a man he had just been. Michael ignored Gavin, and instead shifted closer to him, allowing their arms to rest against each other. It puzzled Gavin, because even in the wind and rain, Michael was  _ warm _ .

“Can I tell you a story?” Michael broke the silence, surprising Gavin. It was the first thing he had said since they’d arrived at the orchard, and it managed to snap Gavin out of the worry that his brain was conditioned to feel. 

“I would like that, Michael”.

“Okay- so when I was about seven or eight years old I was out in the ocean with Geoff. Dad had some important meeting- which was probably with Ryan now that I think of it, but anyways… Geoff took me swimming, and  _ God _ little Michael was so excited to go out to the ocean, especially with Geoff. Dad was always a bit stricter with me- but Geoff pretty much let me do whatever I wanted,  _ within reason- of course _ ! So out Geoff and I go, and listen to me when I say that I was a damn good swimmer, I was quick and it was just kind of easy for me- so Geoff and I go pretty far out, probably further than I’d ever been before. It was so fucking cool, Gavin! The palace looked so small from how far away I was, and I just kept wanting to go further. Eventually, Geoff told me we should start heading back to the shore, but I didn’t want to, I just wanted to keep going. So I did exactly what you would expect from my stubborn, young self, I told him to race me. Instantly I kicked off of his chest, giving myself a little boost before swimming as fast as I possibly could, but Geoff was fast as well, and he was much bigger than me. Finally he caught hold of my leg, and instead of stopping like I should’ve, I fucking kicked harder! God, Gavin, I kicked him in the face and I could barely hear him cry out over the sound of me splashing in the water. So I turn around, and Geoff’s nose is fucking  _ pouring _ blood, and here we are, in the middle of the fucking ocean, the only adult dealing with a broken nose, meanwhile I’m panicking because we’re so fucking far out and I thought for a second I had killed Geoff. Luckily, Geoff was well enough to paddle and we made our way back to the shore. I dash towards the palace, soaking wet and panicked, screaming for someone to help, meanwhile Geoff is just walking behind me laughing and holding his nose.” Michael told his story between laughs, and Gavin laughed as well, perfectly picturing a young Michael and Geoff in this situation. 

“God, Michael, you’re bloody strong!” Gavin said, and the two continued laughing about how absurd and fitting the story was.

“My dad was so fucking pissed at me, and at Geoff for letting me go out that far- but Geoff just found it funny. Also, his nose looked stupid as hell, which was insanely funny to me as a kid.”

“You know, I’ve never been swimming before” Gavin told Michael, which caused Michael to lurch forward, turning to face the other man in amazement. 

“No fucking way” Michael said, not believing the idea that Gavin could be raised in Atteindre and never gone in the ocean.

“Never- mum and I never went, and it wasn’t something included in training; though it probably would’ve been a helpful thing to learn-”

“Get up” Michael interrupted, standing up and reaching his arm out to Gavin.

“No way, Michael. We’ll freeze!”

“It can’t be any colder or wetter in the ocean than it is out here” Michael told him, grinning cheekily as Gavin sighed, taking his hand and allowing himself to be pulled up. 

**…**

“For the record, I think this is a stupid idea” Gavin said as they finally reached the ocean, which caused Michael to chuckle.

“It’s happening, no negotiating” Michael said before reaching for the bottom of his shirt. Swiftly, he pulled it off and threw it to the ground. Gavin did the same, shivering as the rain patted against his bare skin.

Michael was completely unphased by the cold, kicking off his boots and pulling off his pants. He reached for the hem of his underwear- but he wasn’t a madman, it was way too cold for that.

“Hey Gavin” Michael said, turning to the man who was trying to hide the fact that he was struggling to kick off his wet jeans.

“Are you looking at my dick?”

The two men erupted into the loudest laughs either of them had ever experienced, which was huge for Gavin. He allowed himself to full out belly laugh, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. 

“Okay, we won’t go too deep, I don’t want you drowning” Michael teased.

“As long as you try not to break my nose.”

“It would probably be an improvement” Michael snapped back instantly, and briefly worried that he had upset Gavin- but the other man just laughed again.

“On three” Michael said, Gavin braced himself for how bloody cold the water was probably going to be.

“One” Michael began, staring at the black water, enjoying seeing all of the raindrops hitting the surface.

“Two” he continued, biting his lip as he debated doing what he was about to do.

_ “Three” _

With the third count out, Michael reached out and clasped his hand around Gavin’s wrist, partially because he didn’t believe Gavin would actually follow him into the water, but mostly because he craved the other man’s touch. The two ran towards the water, hollering as the cold hit them.

_ Jesus _ it was so much colder than Michael had expected, and he briefly regretted offering the swim as he sank into the freezing ocean- but all of his regrets instantly faded when he saw the giant smile on Gavin’s face.

Sure, it was cold, but that didn’t matter- Gavin was swimming! Here he was, in the ocean off the shores of the place his mother raved about, his arm being held by the only person since he lost his mother to make him feel anything at all. The moment was so amazing, it was something he had always wished for. 

The two men floated silently, listening to the soothing sounds of the rain hitting the ocean, and they slowly began to get used to the cold water.

Minutes flew by like seconds, and neither of them really knew how long had passed since they had gotten in the water, but nobody wanted to ruin the moment, so they stayed that way, a bit colder than they would’ve liked, but otherwise perfect.

“I wish I could see the stars” Gavin broke the silence as he stared up at the blank, black sky. Michael turned to face him, and Gavin knew he was being watched-  _ admired _ . 

See, Michael had always appreciated Gavin, and he knew deep down that a huge part of him was attracted to the man- but here, right now, after a night of Gavin becoming more and more human, a night of Gavin truly opening up to him and being himself, Michael felt the way he always pictured love feeling as a child. 

_ When he looked at Gavin, he saw all of the stars he could ever want. _

He didn’t exactly know what overcame him, but before he knew it he was reaching for Gavin’s cheek, his other hand still linked to Gavin’s wrist. In a swift motion, he turned the man to look at him, and viewed the constellations in his eyes. Then, without any second thoughts, he leaned in, and pressed his lips against Gavin’s.

Neither of them moved, they just rested in the cool ocean, lips touching gently, before Gavin slowly pulled away. 

“Oh- I am so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that” Michael stuttered, fully realizing what he had just done and how stupid it was-

“Don’t apologize” Gavin said softly, before pulling his arm and clasping Michael’s hand in his, using his other hand to pull the somehow, under the circumstances, warm boy closer to him, and kissed him again.

_ Gavin finally allowed himself to break free. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is seriously the softest stuff I've ever written.


	6. The Mother of a Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for how long it has taken me to update this, school (finishing high school and starting university) as well as life itself has been kicking my ass, but I am back now, and hope to have some more consistent updates for these last few chapters. Thank you so much for all of your support, I hope you enjoy!

A small part of Michael wondered if he and Gavin would continue to act like they had the night in the ocean around the palace, but he obviously didn’t expect any huge changes. However, he did expect Gavin to act how he had been before their night together, still a  _ human being _ , but when Michael saw Gavin the following morning, he looked the same way he did when he first arrived at Atteindre, robotic and stone cold.

Michael’s eyes stayed on Gavin throughout the entirety of brunch, barely able to focus enough to carry out any sort of conversation with Ryan at the table. His focus was solely on Gavin, and how he could see Gavin fighting any urge to meet his gaze. 

“So I hear Lindsay was planning on taking you for a tour” Michael heard Ryan say, his conversation sounding like background noise in his racing mind. Lindsay kicked his leg gently under the table, snapping him back into reality.

“Oh- yes sir. She has a few places she wants to show me” Michael responded, followed by a long sip of his black coffee. 

“I was thinking I could join you guys, as well as the hand and handmaid, if that’s alright” Ryan’s tone suggested, as if it was an offer- but Michael knew fully well that he didn’t have a choice. 

“Of course, that would be great” Michael responded, faking a smile at the Mad King.

Michael was pretty sure Ryan could sense he didn’t like him, and although that thought slightly scared him, Geoff had reassured him that Ryan needed him to marry Lindsay, because no other Kingdom would ever join his. Regardless of their personal feelings, they played nice with each other, as did Jack, who had been pretty quiet and lowkey since their arrival. It was weird for Michael to see his father like this- so simple and docile, even though he understood why he acted like that. Since one of the terms in their agreement was a peace between the two Kingdoms, Jack never worried about his safety at Lograr, but he wasn’t sure how far the Mad King would bend the rules of their terms if he were to get on his bad side. 

Geoff had always been a bit braver than Jack, which was troubling since although the two were together, Geoff was far less protected than Jack- a royal title was much more respected when it is an inheritance, rather than something you marry into  _ (not to mention Geoff was not only Jack’s second marriage, but their relationship was frowned upon by many at that) _ .

**…**

The rest of breakfast felt like both an instant and an eternity to the worrying Prince, as he didn’t really know when the next time he would be able to be alone with Gavin would be. He worried about how responsive he would be on this “tour” that Ryan and Lindsay were about to give him, as he was consumed with worry and confusion about Gavin’s change of heart. 

It was a lot sunnier today than it had been the night before, which added to the feeling that the prior night was so far away, a distant memory that began to feel like another one of Michael’s dreams about what love would feel like. The town was much more lively than it had been as well, and Michael actually enjoyed getting to observe the people of Lograr living a normal life. 

Jack followed a bit further behind, hand linked with Geoff’s despite Ryan’s original look of disapproval. He recognized that look on the people’s faces as he walked by, a fear in their eyes that Emmaline had described when she had visited Lograr. He wondered if Michael noticed it too, and wondered how it made him feel. Michael had always been kind to his people, a trait he definitely inherited from his mother  _ (although Jack was good to his people, he never quite figured out how to do it the way Emmaline had) _ , Jack knew that if Michael knew the extent of horrors the people faced from their leaders he would hesitate into marrying into the family- not that he really had a choice at this point. 

Michael’s full mind slowly began to calm as he felt Lindsay’s soft hand in his, but he still caught himself turning his head whenever he found the chance, staring at the man he had kissed the night before.

Gavin and Fiona walked closely by him and Lindsay, cold expressions on their faces and never turning to look at the sites that Ryan would point out. A part of Michael felt genuinely hurt to see Gavin avoid staring at the ocean where they had made memories the night before, though he would never admit it out loud. 

Michael recognized the route that Ryan was now leading them on, as it was the one he and Gavin had run on the night before to reach the ocean. A cobblestone trail that was much dryer now, and didn’t leave splashing puddles with every step. They followed until they reached something that finally caught Gavin’s attention- the orchard. 

At first, it seemed as if Ryan was going to lead them right past it, disregarding its existence, but Lindsay noticed Michael had stopped to stare and opted to clear her throat in an attempt to get her father's attention. 

“What is it?” Ryan asked, confused about the sudden delay. 

“Oh- the orchard is just really pretty” Michael stuttered out, desperately trying to keep his eyes off of Gavin. 

“This thing? It’s actually being cut down in a few weeks.”

In that moment Michael wished he hadn’t been looking at Gavin, as he saw the man’s face of stone quickly shift into an expression that embodied how hurt Michael felt over being ignored by Gavin that morning. The pain in his eyes was like a stab in the gut to Michael, and he had to clench the hand not holding Lindsay’s into a fist to contain himself from comforting the man in front of him. Michael tried to smile at him, tried to show him that he was there for him, but his attempts were too little to actually impact the things Gavin was feeling. Quickly, Gavin regained composure and hoped nobody besides Michael had seen his moment of weakness. 

“Why is it being cut down?” Jack asked, sensing the tense aura in the air. 

“Too many people use it as a way to slack off and hide from their duties, plus it’s a perfect place to put a new archery training area” Ryan explained, a sickening taunt in his tone as he observed Michael’s peculiar reaction. 

“Any more questions, or can we continue?” Ryan muttered, and Michael knew the discussion was over before it had even begun. He sighed, taking one last look at Gavin, before following Ryan for the rest of the tour. 

**…**

Lindsay was reading in the gardens, shaded by an overgrown willow. Frogs croaked from their homes by the pond, and the wind whistled against the flowers gently.  _ The sight looked like a painting _ Michael thought to himself, observing the Princess simply  _ existing _ , nothing on her mind but the details of whatever story she was reading. 

Michael approached her slowly, worried of startling her or ruining the peaceful ambience that had been created. He sat next to her in the grass, eyeing the book she was reading. It was about a variety of different painters of the past, as well as the stories of the paintings they created. 

Lindsay turned the page, noticing Michael staring but not acknowledging him. They sat, staring at a familiar image. 

“Mogar” Michael said, smiling as he saw Lindsay’s eyes scan the writing on the page. 

“The Great Mikhailo” Lindsay read;

_ “An ancient warrior of Atteindre, who sacrificed himself in order to ensure the fleet of enemies attacking the shores would never reach the innocent people or the palace.” _

“I was named after him” Michael said, failing to hide any of the overwhelming pride that overcame him whenever he thought about the badass the man he was named after was. 

“Really? I’ve always been fascinated by both this painting and the story behind it, I never realized that was what your name was based on” Lindsay said, lifting her eyes to look at Michael. 

“Yeah- it was one of the last things my mother ever did, her and my dad decided on my name together” Michael said, the pride turning a tad bittersweet. 

It was always calming to think about his mother being a factor in his name, as he missed out on so many of those important moments with her. Having that tied to him, it made him feel closer to her. The pride of knowing that she believed he was at all comparable to a man like The Great Mikhailo, it just made him feel joy. 

“I’m pretty sure I’m one of the only women in Lograr who knows how to read” Lindsay changed the subject, shutting her book and laying it gently onto the grass. 

“Really?” Michael asked, not thinking it was a good idea to point out that most women of Atteindre were taught to read at a young age. 

“Girls aren’t allowed to go to school here, even though they are in pretty much every other Kingdom I’ve heard of. Very few are taught, and they usually have to hide that they even have that skill out of fear” she explained, a visible sadness overcoming her face. 

“Did Genevieve teach you to read?” Michael asked. 

“No- I don't even think she knows how to read herself. It wasn’t really necessary in her old life, and nobody ever taught her after she had me. Dad taught me how to read, not because it would be ‘progressive’ or whatever, but because ‘ _ every great ruler must know how to read and write, it can make or break alliances, it can even cause wars _ ’”

“When we rule, together, everyone is gonna learn how to read” Michael suddenly said, catching Lindsay by surprise. 

“What?” she responded, not fully sure if she heard him correctly. Her entire life she spent paralleled to Michael in the sense that a huge part of her was fearful to meet the man she was betrothed to- scared that he would be some conceited, sexist Prince who simply wanted to rule two Kingdom’s and have someone to look nice as she stood by his side; so to hear that  _ ‘we’ _ would be ruling together was something she wasn’t really expecting. 

“Everyone is going to know how to read and write, girls will be sent to school, and people won’t be forced into fucked up jobs against their will solely because they need to survive” he explained, curious as to why Lindsay seemed so surprised. 

“We- we’re ruling together?” Lindsay asked, needing to clarify that her mind wasn’t deceiving her and that Michael would actually treat her as an equal. 

“Well, of course we are. We’re going to be married, Lindsay; we have shared power over both of our Kingdom’s. We are in this together, as equals- I need you by my side” Michael told her, completely unaware of just how impactful what he was saying truly was. 

Lindsay didn’t know exactly how to respond, but she knew in that moment that she had been blessed with a Prince who would treat her in ways she never could’ve dreamed of. Without hesitation, she leaned over, resting her warm hand on Michael’s soft cheek and slowly pressed her lips against his. 

Michael was surprised at first- sure their relationship had taken time to blossom, but Michael wanted her to call the shots as she was ready for them. Slowly, he kissed her back, resting his hand on her hip and pulling her closer to him. 

They pulled apart, taking a moment to just look at each other in the beautiful atmosphere of the palace gardens. Michael pulled her against his chest, laying down and allowing his curls to rest against the grass. Lindsay rested her head on his chest, and the two layed there, listening to the sounds of the frogs and the wind. 

**…**

Michael tossed and turned throughout the entire night, unsure of why exactly he couldn’t sleep. He was awake as the sun began to rise in his room, and he stared at the wall, planning to wait a while longer before ‘waking up’ to not draw any suspicion as to why he was up so early. 

He heard his door creak open, and figured it was his father coming in to check on him. He turned his head, but was greeted by someone he didn’t expect to see. 

“Gavin?” he groggily asked, rubbing his eyes and waiting to see if the figure was just an illusion- but there Gavin stood, a small blush on his face. 

“What are you doing?” Michael asked, scooching to sit up at the edge of his bed, allowing his feet to touch the chilly stone flooring, which helped to wake him up. 

“Oh- just checking in on my way to the kitchen-” Gavin stuttered, the same panic in his voice as there was the night he was caught in Michael’s room looking for a raincoat and flashlight. 

He would never dare admit that he checked on the Prince every morning, and how it was his favourite part of the day- to see the Prince so calm and peaceful and  _ beautiful _ in a deep sleep. Just as he would never admit to why exactly he had been a bit late that morning, peaking into his room past the sunrise. 

The thoughts of what had happened on that rainy night filled Gavin’s mind constantly, and it had begun seeping into his dreams; thoughts of the story Michael had told him about when he had broken Geoff’s nose- but it was his nose being broken by the Prince produced by Lindsay and Michael. 

“How are you doing, after hearing about the orchard I mean?” Michael asked, immediately ruining the soft mood the two had been sharing as they existed together in silence. 

“Can we not talk about it” Gavin said, sighing as he pictured one of his strongest visions of his mother being chopped away like worthless branches for some fucking archery center. 

Michael stood up, approaching Gavin and shutting the door, separating them from the rest of the palace. He gripped Gavin’s arm, pulling him towards the bed and sitting, turning to face the visibly upset man. 

_ At least he was showing emotions _ Michael thought to himself, and contemplated reaching for Gavin’s hand in an attempt to comfort him before deciding it was probably best to give him space. 

“You have to fight it, Michael” Gavin suddenly said, and immediately regretted asking so much of the Prince.

“I can’t, Gavin. His mind was clearly made up, and the last thing I need is to create riffs between the fucking Mad King and I”.

For some reason, despite the guilt he had felt for asking, hearing the rejection struck something in Gavin; like in that moment, everything was suddenly real. A part of him had imagined Michael figuring out a way to change Ryan’s mind on his behalf, and the orchard staying as a memory of his mother until long after he was gone. 

“Yeah, I should’ve known better than to ask,” Gavin said, and despite contemplating his words, he was still shocked by how harsh they sounded. Michael was surprised too, as he had seen a few different emotions from Gavin, but anger, and specifically anger towards him, was something he had never expected to see. 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Gavin?” Michael asked, trying to control the temper that his father always told him he had. 

“It means- you’re probably the only person who could save the orchard, and you aren’t! And for what? Because you don’t want to upset your darling’s father” Gavin hastily replied, a mimicking taunt in his voice as he brought up Lindsay. 

“Oh! So what, this is about your jealousy, huh?” Michael started to grow angry, but tried his best to not raise his voice, in fear of anyone overhearing what they were discussing. 

“No, it’s not. It’s about me losing something so close to my mother and you doing nothing to protect it-” Gavin began to retaliate, but was cut off by Michael. 

“Can you stop going on about your mother?! At least you knew your mother! At least you have something so close to her that you can remember! I didn’t even get to know my fucking mother!” Michael’s anger shifted, and instead of being upset about Gavin, he grew upset with the world. 

Gavin sensed where his anger was actually directed, and knew that it was his job to comfort the distressed Prince. Slowly, he reached his arm out, gripping Michael’s shoulder with his hand and pulling the Prince against him, gently rubbing his bare back. 

Michael wasn’t exactly sure what came over him, but all of a sudden he began to cry. He sat silently weeping into Gavin’s chest, appreciating the way his fingers trailed his soft back. 

“Your mother was an extraordinary woman” Gavin said, breaking the heartwrenching silence. 

“Yeah, I’ve heard the stories” Michael responded, sniffling. 

“I bet I have a story you’ve never heard” Gavin said, and Michael instantly perked up, pulling away to look at Gavin. 

Gavin stood, walking towards the door. He turned to Michael, gripping the golden doorknob.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, hold on” he said, exiting the room.

Michael waited in a mix of curiosity and excitement. He wondered how exactly a staff worker like Gavin would know stories about his mother that his father didn’t know- or at least didn’t share with him. He was intrigued about the connections that such an important person to him may have had with the very woman he longed to truly know. 

Gavin walked quickly and quietly to the staff area where his bed was- he wasn’t technically on shift yet, but if he was seen it would be hard to explain exactly what he was doing. 

He didn’t entirely know his way around the Lograr castle, and most of his sense of direction came from wandering down familiar hallways and trying to make himself as invisible as possible, but he eventually found the room he was searching for. 

Everyone in the room was gone, luckily, as he wasn’t exactly comfortable showing off his hiding spot for the few valuable possessions he had. Fiona had been the last person he remembered seeing in the room, and assumed she had gone to help Lindsay with their beginning of wedding planning- a thought that made him feel sick.

He tucked the worn leather book into the waistband of his jeans and began his surprisingly long walk back to the Prince’s room. Unlike the Atteindre castle, Lograr definitely felt separate, the workers were secluded in an almost hidden part of the property, with few windows and next to no decorations the further you went, like the entire area was an afterthought. 

Gavin smiled when he saw the look on Michael’s face as soon as he returned, a clear excitement now mixed with confusion as to what exactly he had left for. Gavin carefully closed the door, and made sure to lock it so that nobody caught them. A knock would alert them of anyone on their way, and they would be able to adapt in time without things looking suspicious. 

Gavin sat next to the Prince, situating their legs right next to each other, the warmth of Michael’s bare skin somehow managing to press through Gavin’s jeans. 

“So uhh…” Gavin began to stutter, growing nervous as he realized just how important to him this little book was. Through showing this to Michael, he was inviting someone into something so personal- something had never shared with anyone. 

Michael picked up on his nerves, and without hesitating, began to gently rub Gavin’s arm. A small gesture, just to remind him to take his time without breaking the actual peaceful silence they had found themselves in. 

“This is my mother's journal” Gavin finally said, pulling the creased brown book from his waistband and resting it on his lap. He kind of just stared at it for a moment, debating if he was truly ready to open up about his past. 

All uncertainty left him the moment he met Michael’s eyes, pure anticipation like a kid on Christmas morning. Slowly, he opened the first page with his shaking hand, which was immediately calmed when Michael placed his hand atop of his.

“You don’t have to share this with me if you aren’t ready” Michael told Gavin, doing a pretty bad job at hiding the hopefulness in his voice.

“I want to share this with you” Gavin instantly replied, moving his eyes back down to his mother's handwriting that covered the page. 

“It’s uhm- mostly stories about my mother and father, but there is one in particular that I want you to hear” Gavin explained as he flipped through the worn pages, finally finding what he was looking for.

“It’s spread across a few entries-” Gavin said as he began to pass the journal to the Prince, but Michael didn’t accept the book.

“Read it to me” Michael asked, picturing the way he would dream of his own mother reading him stories, a memory he always felt robbed of.

Gavin cleared his throat, took one last look at his Prince, and delved into a part of his past he never thought he would share with anyone. 

_ “July 16th: _

_ My break today was longer than usual, and I spent most of it praying that nobody would see me. Each passing footstep had me holding my breath- because I realistically had no way of escaping if somebody were to spot me. I was just exhausted, between the pregnancy and Trevor and I both working extra hours in preparation, I wasn’t exactly sure if my body would even hold out.  _

_ Luckily, the only person to find me deep in the orchard was Trevor himself. He sat next to me, pressing his back against the tree, and placed his hand on my stomach. All of the pain, stress and exhaustion will be worth it, because I will get to share something so beautiful with the most incredible man.” _

_ “July 17th: _

_ I thought it was gonna happen today, it was the absolute worst feeling of pain I’d ever felt. Trevor was by my side the whole time, fully prepared to go running in search of anyone to possibly help us out despite the storm outside. Eventually the pain stopped, but I don’t think work tomorrow is going to go well. Trevor offered to head to work extra early in the morning to make some extra money, so that I didn’t have to worry- I tried telling him no but he wouldn’t take it and I was way too tired to fight with him.” _

_ “July 18th: _

_ Trevor is dead. They killed him right in front of me. One moment I was laying in bed kept awake by the kid kicking me, the next there’s a knock on my door and my neighbour is telling me to get to the town centre as soon as I can. I can’t stop thinking about the way that she looked- the fear in her eyes that couldn’t stop staring at my stomach. I went as fast as I could, not running into anyone at all, which was just so strange. _

_ He was on his knees, his shirt was ripped, his nose bleeding and his eyes tired. The Prince stood next to him with that fucking grin I had heard stories about, practically rallying the crowd. _

_ ‘Someone here thinks he’s too good to bow to me. Someone here has no respect for their Prince!’ he would yell, taunting Trevor who just stared blankly at the ground.  _

_ I pushed forward, and nobody dared to push back because of the pregnancy, I just kept pushing and begging until I was at the front, just feet away from Trevor and the Prince, I kept going forward until someone grabbed my arm, holding me back. I yelled at them, yelled at them to let me go, I  _ **_needed_ ** _ to get up there.  _

_ I guess the commotion caught his attention, because Trevor finally looked up. He looked up and saw me and I thought in that moment that maybe everything would be okay- but then the Prince saw me. _

_ I had never imagined I would ever stand this close to the man that was so feared by Lograr, I planned on simply staying close to home, Trevor and I raising our child and maybe one day even getting out of here, going somewhere better. But the second I made eye contact with the Prince I knew my life was over. His eyes were pure anger, pure rage and yet I wasn’t scared, even with the sword in his hand he didn’t threaten me. _

_ ‘Who do we have here’ he taunted, lifting his sword from Trevor’s back to my face, and yet I still wasn’t scared. _

_ ‘Don’t fucking talk to her’ Trevor choked out, his words met with a kick to the side from the fucking Prince. _

_ ‘Let him go’ was the only thing I could think to say, finally shaking out of the grip I was held in and walking closer to the blade. _

_ ‘I don’t think I will, my lady, see, this punk here decided he was too good to bow to me’ he taunted, using the blade of his sword to push my cheek towards Trevor. _

_ Everything after that happened so quickly, I think someone else in the crowd grabbed me, this time by my stomach, holding me tightly against them, giving me no opportunity to escape. The Prince pulled Trevor by the back of his shirt, dragging him further back and resting his head on the blood-stained stone block. I pushed and screamed and tried, but I couldn’t get out. Trevor just looked at me, he looked scared, and sorry and worried and a whole bunch of things and as I looked at him I swear time stopped and it was just us in our own silent world- but Ryan Haywood broke that silence as he muttered words I’ll never forget: _

_ ‘Look who’s bowing now’.” _

Michael tried desperately to not interrupt Gavin as he read, but the way his voice shook as he read the words the Mad King spoke before killing his own father- it was a sound that hurt worse than anything he’d experienced before.

“Gavin-” Michael finally said a few moments into the silence after Gavin finished that passage, and in that moment Gavin finally broke out from the story he had been reading, realizing where he was, realizing he was safe here with the only person in Lograr he could probably ever trust.

He began to cry, something he promised himself he wouldn’t do when he read Michael the journal, but fuck, thinking about how the man he was reading such horrible tales about was just a few rooms down, how soon he would be the father-in-law to the only person in his life he cared for, it broke him just as much as the story did. 

Michael held him close, gently rubbing his back and comforting him in whatever way he could think of in the moment. A while past, the two just sitting in this weird, peaceful sadness, enjoying eachothers company despite the circumstances, but then Gavin continued.

“So- the entries stop here for a while,” Gavin explained as he flipped the page.

_ “August 4th: _

_ I made it out. _

_ I thought I was going to die in that cell, hole, whatever the lunatic referred to it as. He would come down to taunt me, he wouldn’t feed me, all because I ‘challenged’ him the day he executed Trevor.  _

_ But then she came. She was different, beautiful and visibly disconnected from Ryan. He brought her down to us for some reason, and I genuinely don’t know what Ryan expected, but she was clearly appalled when she saw us. I could barely even look up at her, I was too exhausted to even lift my head, but I finally did, and our eyes met- and then she left.  _

_ I thought I would never see her again, I figured she would either leave or I would die before our paths ever crossed again. I went to sleep that night unsure if I would even wake up the following morning, but it was still dark when I was shaken awake. _

_ It was the same girl, but the look of disgust had changed to determination as she handed me a bag and told me I had no time, that I had to escape before the sunrise. She gave me the jacket and put up the hood, covering a good portion of my face, and told me my boat would leave in half an hour.  _

_ And now I’m safe, fed, and living in Atteindre.” _

“That woman-” Michael began to speak.

“That woman was your mother. Your mother saved my mother’s life.”


End file.
